Though Lovers Be Lost
by Katrock82
Summary: Post 5x22. Damon and Bonnie find themselves in a different dimension after the collapse of The Other Side. Damon finds a way to communicate with a devastated Elena while Jeremy finds a coven of witches outside New Orleans that can help them. Can Elena find a way to bring them back even if it means she has to sacrifice herself to do it? Mostly Delena, some Beremy and Klaroline.
1. Chapter 1: The Nether World

**Hey everyone! So this is my very first attempt at Fanfiction. I have never written it before let alone posted anything on this site before so please be kind and constructive with your criticism **

**This story was inspired obviously by the amazing season 5 finale and also by the more fantasy-driven world LJ Smith created in her books. It is mostly a Delena story with a little Beremy, Klaroline, and Halijah. I will update often.**

**I own nothing, all characters belong to the CW, LJ Smith, etc…**

"**Though lovers be lost, love shall not. And death shall have no dominion." **

– **Dylan Thomas**

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 1 – The Nether World**

**Damon POV**

"Do you think it will hurt?" Bonnie asked with no sign of fear in her voice.

"I don't kn-" I tried to respond before the world went white. It was all such a whirlwind of emotions. I was ready to die. I was proud that I was able to sacrifice myself to bring back my brother, Alaric, Enzo, and anyone else who made it through before me. I hade done so many awful things in my 173 years that maybe, just maybe my death could bring something positive. I thought I was ready to say goodbye to Elena until the white. The endless white.

We came to in a stone circle. Think Stonehenge but even more crumbled and falling apart. The sky was dark and cloudy with a slight mist in the air. It was in an open field with nothing visible in the distance.

"B-Bonnie?"

My voice startled me. It sounded small and frightened. Like a child's voice.

"Yeah." Bonnie replied standing in the middle of the stone circle looking up.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked confused and still a little out of it.

"I don't know. Grams said she would make sure that I was taken care of. That I would find my peace. Something else must have happened because this place…this place looks more like…"

"Oh witchy I'm sorry. You were supposed to find peace but instead you ended up in hell with your's truly." I said half joking but somewhat afraid that I was right.

Bonnie started quietly sobbing to herself. I was a little uncomfortable and unsure of what to do here. I was used to comforting Elena and being there for her but Bonnie…we had such a complicated relationship that I just kind of stood there like an idiot staring at her for a few moments. Eventually I just put a hand on her shoulder.

"Bonnie. I'm so sorry if we are…wherever this is because of me. " I didn't know what else to say. Words were never my strength.

"It's okay Damon. I don't think we are here because of you. I think something must have gone wrong. Really, really wrong when the Other Side imploded. It's like we are in a completely different dimension."

I looked up at the sky and realized that breaking through the clouds there was finally some sunlight…it was brief but enough for us to notice that there was not one, but two suns.

"Bon Bon. Where are we…"

**The Gilbert Lake House…4 months later**

**Elena POV**

_Dear Diary,_

_I wake every day as if it just happened. I see Alaric come through Bonnie and he tells me that Damon is right behind him. The relief flooded through me and I knew…thought… that everything was going to be okay. That Damon would come back to me like he promised and we could start our REAL future together. All the time we wasted being foolish and doubting us wouldn't matter because we could start again. We could be together. Then nothing, nothing, nothing. The pain is unbearable and endless. I can't even dream about him. I try every night. He is the last thing I think about before I fall asleep but the dreams never come. It's like something is blocking them and keeping him away from me._

_Alaric and Caroline tell Jer and I that we need to move on and accept that Damon and Bonnie are gone. Stefan isn't even with us. He is off somewhere dealing with his brother's death in his own way…he checks in with Caroline every few days so we know he is okay. We hope he is okay. Caroline was upset that he decided to go off on his own but she knew she couldn't stop him. _

_I don't know what to do anymore. Jeremy has been doing research on some powerful witch covens in the South hoping that maybe we could find some hint of hope that the loves of our lives aren't gone forever. There is a reason I got into that car with Damon. If something was going to go wrong I was going to be with him in life or death. It was my most powerful declaration of love for him yet. One that even he couldn't doubt or question. Unfortunately it came too late and now we are separated by death and I still don't know how I am supposed to go on. This isn't living. Life without my dark knight is not living. I am hoping by my next entry that we find something, some way to get them back with us. Alaric is calling for me now so I have to go. Until next time._

"Elena!" Alaric was calling from downstairs. He sounded agitated and I'm guessing he was calling for quite sometime while I was focused on my diary.

"Coming!" I slowly walked downstairs to find way too many blood bags empty on the floor and Ric sitting in the middle of the living room with his head down. Ric was having a really rough time adjusting to life as a super vampire. I have tried to help him but really, he needs his best friend. Damon was the best vampire teacher any newbie could have. I couldn't do this. I didn't know how to help him.

"Ric, I am so sorry. I don't know what to do anymore. " I was sad, frustrated, and at my wits end. Alaric stood up and looked at me.

"Maybe you and Jeremy are right Elena." My heart perked up when I sensed where he was going with this. "I keep trying to tell you two to move on and stop looking for answers about Damon and Bonnie. Maybe we do need to keep looking. I need my drinking buddy and it's not fair to put this vampire training on you when you are dealing with losing two of the most important people in your life."

Was Alaric actually going to help us? I tried to not get my hopes up but he has felt guilty since that night. Guilty that he came through first. I decided to share some of the information that Jeremy recently found.

"Ric we have some leads that Jeremy found recently. Mainly some Covens in the South that have some history in afterlife and inter-dimensional magic."

Ric looked at me sadly before he spoke. "Elena, these past 4 months I have tried to do what I thought Damon would want. To help you move on with your life to be happy and safe. " He paused and then looked down again before he continued. "It's pretty damn clear that hasn't been happening." He looked up again. "I will help you guys research these Covens, but don't get your hoped up too high. This is a long shot."

I ran into his arms. For the first time I felt a real glimmer of hope. "THANK YOU! We have to tell Jeremy. He will be so happy."

"I think he went to the library…probably doing more of this…research you were talking about."

"He should be home soon. Thank you so much Ric!" I hugged him once more and went upstairs to. It was the first night I was hoping for a good night's sleep. I was full of hope that with Ric's help we would find a way to get them back. I wanted to wait for Jeremy but something was pulling me into sleep. I felt drowsy and thought it would be okay to close my eyes for a few moments before Jer got home.

"Elena…Baby, are you there?"

I was somewhere between sleep and awake when I heard him. I knew his voice anywhere, especially when he said my name so soft and sweet. But this was impossible. Tears were already forming in my eyes.

"Damon?"

That's when I noticed myself in the middle of a stone circle. I heard him behind me and I turned around. This couldn't be real. It was Damon. Standing 10 feet in front of me with his adorable crooked grin and his jet black hair blowing in the wind. His electric eyes were drilling into my soul. I couldn't move or speak.

"Elena" he whispered with tears forming in his eyes as he slowly closed the gap between us.

In the 4 months following Damon's death the dreams never came. What was happening now? And this felt like more than just a dream. He reached up and touched my face and my hair. It was the same touch that he gave me that final night during his goodbye when I couldn't see him. But here he was right in front of me.

"Damon, is it really you? Are you…here?"

"I'm here, baby. I found a way to get to you from where I am."

At that point I lost all control and crashed my lips against his. He embraced me tightly as we kissed for the first time in what felt like an eternity. If this was a dream I didn't care because he was here and I could feel him. He was here and it felt real. He pulled away suddenly, which startled me.

"Damon, what's wrong?"

"Oh Elena, I'm being pulled back. "

"What?! No! Pulled back where?"

He was speaking fast now, like he was afraid this connection wouldn't last much longer. "It's called The Nether World. It's where Bonnie and I have been trapped since the Other Side collapsed…I will find you again Elena…I promi…"

I sat up in bed with a loud gasp. He didn't even finish his last word. And he was gone again.

**The Nether World**

**Damon POV**

"ELENA!"

She was gone. Torn away too soon.

"God damn it Bonnie! What happened?!" I was furious. I finally connected with Elena. It's what we were working towards for the past four months, but it was over too soon. I barely got to speak with her, barely got to be with her.

"Don't blame me! I'm not even a witch anymore remember?"

After we landed in the "Nether" we had no idea where we were. After searching for miles we found a village at the base of a giant old castle. Here we eventually befriended an apothecary who had some…witchy abilities. His name is Varro. His daughter fell ill and was pleased to learn about the magical healing properties of my vampire blood. He has been loyally helping us ever since. He spoke calmy and gently to me, "It was our first successful cross-over Damon. Have patience my friend, it will get stronger."

I took a deep breath and stepped outside alone. It's been four months since we have been stuck in this hellhole of a Nether World. It's like the dark, wet, nasty place you see in all of those old Victorian horror stories with Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde. Four months without my Elena. Not knowing where she is, how she is doing, if she is safe or happy. It's been hell. Bonnie and I have finally discovered a way to reach her but it's going to take some more work.

"Don't worry Elena, I will be back…"

**Please review…I hope you enjoyed it so far!**


	2. Chapter 2: Always Choose You

**Thank you for the positive response and the reviews that I did get. I will be gone for a couple days so I wanted to post the next chapter before I go. Hopefully you continue to enjoy this story.**

**To keep it a little less complicated, The Originals timeline is set just BEFORE all the crazy stuff went down when Hayley had the baby.**

**Chapter 2 – **

**I Will Always Choose You**

**The Gilbert Lake House**

**Elena POV**

"I saw him. Felt him. He was with me!"

I tried to explain what happened when I saw Damon to Alaric, Jer, and Caroline without sounding like I was completely losing my mind.

"I believe you Elena." Jeremy spoke as Caroline rolled her eyes. "Damon and Bonnie would do anything they possibly could to get back to us. Shouldn't we be doing the same for them?"

"That's what we have been doing Jer, but we need to try harder. What did you find at the library? Anything?"

"Actually yes. Outside of New Orleans I found a Coven that specializes in inter-dimensional magic. I'm guessing this "Nether World" that Damon spoke of might fit into their specialty?"

At the mention of New Orleans Caroline's mood noticeably changed. Her and Tyler have gotten to a good place as friends, and with Stefan gone it's been harder and harder for her to keep her mind off of the Original vampire who everyone knew had a hold on her heart. She joined in the conversation.

"New Orleans, huh? It is known to have some of the most powerful witches in the world."

I knew she would be on board with us after that. "Powerful witches that can help us get Damon and Bonnie back. Lets just hope they are willing to help us. Caroline do you think you can contact Klaus somehow and see if he can give you some background on this Coven? Maybe he can I hate to say…help us."

"Sure!" Caroline answered a little too eagerly. "I mean, I can try, but with Klaus you never know."

Ric finally spoke, "Guys this could be dangerous and I just want you all to think about what you are doing. We have no idea what to expect from these…witches or even Klaus for that matter."

Jeremy spoke first, "We've thought about it Ric. Now everyone pack. We leave for New Orleans in the morning."

**The Nether World**

**Damon POV**

Varro had just finished preparing the potion that helped bring me to the trance-like state that brought me to Elena.

"I added a stronger dose of Nightflower this time in the hopes that it will strengthen your connection and your hold on your love's location."

"Thanks Varro. When do we get to try again?"

"Tonight. If Elena is in a deep sleep already it should help the connection as well. Theoretically you should be able to spend more time with her during this cross-over."

Night could not come quickly enough. I just needed to see her again.

"Damon, um before we do this you should know something." There was a hint of concern and worry in Varro's voice. "We are using this magic to communicate with Elena but that is all it is. A way to talk, nothing more. For you and Bonnie to pass back through into your dimension it is going to take risk and sacrifice on your loved one's part."

A pit formed in my stomach. There was never a time when I wanted Elena to put herself at risk for my or anyone else's life. I put her life before all other's including my own.

"What kind of risk and sacrifice?"

"In order to pass back someone needs to completely cross over from your world first. Otherwise there is no trail for the magic to follow back…you could end up in a completely different dimension altogether. One of your friends is going to have to sacrifice themselves to make it here. "

No, no, no. This can't be the only way. I didn't want anyone else to end up here…especially not Elena. But if I know my Elena she will insist on being the one to come get us. Hell, she got into my car with me to blow up the Grill, what will stop her from doing this?

"I understand Varro. I will do my best to convince her not to come but if I know the girl I love, there isn't much I can do to stop her."

"I just wanted you to know the risks my friend. Are you ready to see her again?"

I thought he would never say those words. Finally.

"Hell yes."

**The Gilbert Lake House**

**Elena POV**

I finished packing for New Orleans and got ready for bed. I felt like I was one step closer to getting my best friend and boyfriend back from god knows where. Also, it didn't escape me that maybe tonight I would see Damon again in my dreams. I hoped that however he got to me the first time, that we would be able to do it again.

I got into bed, took a deep breath, and drifted off to sleep.

I woke again in the middle of the stone circle. I was alone though and couldn't see Damon.

"Damon? Are you here?" I called out to him. "Damon?"

"Elena! Where are you?" I heard him call back buy still couldn't see him. The wind was wild and whipping my hair in my face.

"Damon I'm in the center!" That's when I felt him behind me. His strong arms encircling my waist and his lips kiss the back of my head. I turned to face him and looked into his gorgeous eyes. I had a smile from ear to ear and so did he. As we held each other he spoke first.

"We should have more time this time. How are you? I've missed you so much."

"Oh Damon I missed you too. More than you could ever know. And how am I? You left me Damon." I paused and hesitated before continuing but wanted him to hear exactly how I felt. "I wanted to follow you, be with you and then you were just…gone. Forever…" I was crying now and felt bad that I sounded like I was accusing him of leaving me on purpose.

"I didn't have a choice, baby. I'm so sorry."

"I know you didn't have a choice," I said as I hugged him even tighter. "And you died a hero…I was so proud of you."

Without giving him a chance to speak I looked into his eyes and said everything I wanted to say that night he left me.

"Damon, I'm so sorry. I wasted so much time fighting my feelings for you. And I hurt you so many times in the process. Do you know when I knew I loved you? It's shameful really. When we danced together at the first Miss Mystic Falls pageant. The way you swooped in and caught me and stared into my soul with those eyes. I knew it then. And fought it so long. Even after we were together I wasted so much time in the weeks before your death. That night by the car when you kissed me, it took my breath away. All I wanted to do was follow you into that house and tell you how much I love you. Then the travelers came. I wanted you. Wanted to be with you I was just…"

"Shh, Shh, Shh" Damon interrupted me when he saw my tears flowing so heavily. He kissed my forehead "It's okay Elena you don't have to apologize. I understand why you fought your feelings for so long. I didn't exactly make it easy for you. "

"We will have our new beginning Damon. We are leaving tomorrow for New Orleans. Jeremy found a Coven that specializes in inter-dimensional magic. We will find a way to bring you guys back. Wait…Bonnie. Where's Bonnie?"

"Bonnie is fine…she is just not strong enough to cross over like me. She says hi," Damon said with a smile. The smile quickly faded leading me to think he was leaving again.

"Elena you need to know something. What you are about to discover in New Orleans will put you all at great risk. I know you will do whatever it takes to get us back but I am worried about you. I don' t want you to end up here or worse…"

I understood his concern but interrupted him anyway, "Damon. Let me be clear about something. If it comes down to me or you and Bonnie again I will gladly risk everything because…I will always choose you."

Damon knew that this time I was using his own words against him. "That was a low blow", Damon said with a smile.

I smiled back and continued, "I will do whatever it takes to get you back to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes Elena, it's clear."

After Damon said that he kissed me. Deeply, passionately. As if he would never be able to kiss me again.

"Good. How much more time do we have?"

"I don't know Elena but I want to spend the rest of it holding you. I will try and come to you every night, okay? You keep me posted about what you find in New Orleans and Bonnie and I will do whatever we need to do here to make it make to you. Oh no…I can feel the connection slipping Elena."

"It's okay Damon, I know you will be back. I love you."

And then I was awake again. The sun shone through my window overlooking the lake and for the first time in a long time I felt like it was going to be a good day.

**New Orleans**

**Elena POV**

The drive to New Orleans was long and tense. We all want to find a way to get Damon and Bonnie back so badly that everyone was a little on edge. Plus, to make matters worse Caroline is extra edgy in preparation for seeing Klaus again after…well lets just call it their "rendezvous" in the woods.

We arrived at the Mikaelson compound on Bourbon Street around 9:00pm that night. Alaric knocked on the door hoping that Klaus would understand that he is himself again and not the vampire hunter that staked him in his coffin. The door opened slowly. It was Hayley. Everyone was awkwardly staring at her giant pregnant belly.

"Well if it isn't the Mystic Falls gang….minus a few Salvatore brothers," she said with a giggle and couldn't understand the frowns on everyone's faces. "What? Did I miss something?"

Caroline broke the awkward silence first, "Klaus doesn't tell you anything does he?" Hayley shook her head confused. Caroline continued, "Stefan is off on a spirit finding quest and Damon is dea…Damon is…"

"It's okay Caroline." I jumped in. "Hayley, Damon is dead. So is Bonnie. That is why we are here."

"Oh my god I am so sorry. I have pregnant lady brain…which means, no brain…." She just decided to stop talking.

We all walked into the courtyard of their French Quarter Palace and stood in awe of how grand it was.

"Hello love. I thought you never wanted to hear from me again?"

We heard Klaus' dashing accent from a balcony the floor above us. Of course he was talking directly to Caroline who was blushing wildly.

"Well desperate times call for desperate measures, isn't that what people always say?" She tried to toss back the same amount of sass that he gave her.

Klaus gracefully descended the stairs with a wicked smile and approached Caroline to give her a light, almost sweet kiss on the cheek. "Well nevertheless, I am glad that you are here. Professor Saltzman? Back in the land of the living I see. Why don't you all join Elijah and I in the library and we can discuss the matter at hand."

We all followed him into a room where we saw Elijah and Hayley talking intimately. It seemed to me that something must be going on between the two of them because there was some intimate touching going on as well. I was happy to see Elijah moving on from Katherine.

"Hello Elena," Elijah said with a smile, "I'm so sorry to hear about Damon and Bonnie. I know how much he loved you, and what a great friend Bonnie was."

"Thank you Elijah. Hopefully after this trip we will have an idea of how to get them both back."

"I sincerely hope so too." Elijah replied as he rubbed Hayley's back gently.

Klaus then addressed the group once more, "I was able to contact the Coven's leader, Margaret Fillmore. Being the King of New Orleans definitely has its bright spots and being able to get in contact with her so quickly is one of them. You can thank me later." He threw Caroline another mischievous look. "They are based in a small town outside of the city, here is an address where you can meet her. She is expecting you."

Klaus handed the piece of paper to Alaric. "Thank you Klaus," Alaric said as he handed the paper to Jeremy who stared at it with wild hope in his eyes. "Are these witched to be trusted?" Alaric asked cautiously.

"Haha well, I make a habit of never trusting witches. It seems though that if you want your loved ones back you really don't have a choice do you?"

"No we don't" Jeremy said confidently. He seemed more determined then ever to get Bonnie back. Both of us fighting together side by side to get back our true loves.

"Klaus thank you so much for your help. Really, it means a lot." I said genuinely meaning it.

"Elena don't think for one moment that I did this for you but, you are welcome."

Klaus walked everyone to the door and Caroline was the last to leave. She stopped and looked up at Klaus with a slight smile. "Thank you for helping my friends. This is the Klaus that I thought I saw a few times when I looked at you in your unguarded moments. I hope to see more of him. Goodnight Klaus."

"Goodnight love." He replied as he closed the door behind her.

I felt bad listening in on her conversation but I was curious and I want Caroline to be happy, even if it is with Klaus. Maybe we are more alike than I thought, both of us falling for the bad boys with hearts of gold.

We all piled into the car and started heading towards the address on the piece of paper. It was getting late but Klaus assured us that this particular Coven of witches were creatures of night. We continued down the dark road until there was nothing but an old cemetery on our left.

"This is the address," said Jeremy.

"Of course it is." Alaric said sarcastically as we carefully got out of the car.

We walked as a group slowly towards the large crypt where we saw some candles flickering. It was like the dark, gothic version of "The Wizard of Oz" and we were off to see the people who would hopefully help us get to Damon and Bonnie. We approached the opening to the crypt and heard an old woman speak.

"Come in please. We've been expecting you."

**That's it for now guys! Next chapter will be up by Tuesday sometime. Please keep reviewing. It's good for inspiration and motivation!**


	3. Chapter 3: Sacrifice

**This chapter is coming a day early! Once I started writing it, I just couldn't stop so I was able to finish sooner than expected. Enjoy!**

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 3 - Sacrifice**

**Outside of New Orleans**

**Elena POV**

"We've been expecting you," Margaret Fillmore's shaky, old voice echoed throughout the crypt.

She couldn't have been younger than 80 and looked thin and frail. Her hair was stringy and gray and her eyes were bright green. She examined the group as we walked in and she seemed to be able to size us up right away.

"Three vampires and a hunter," she deduced immediately.

We were also surrounded by three other witches, all over the age of 70 with similar features to Margaret. They all could be sisters. One of the others spoke, "Please come in and sit."

I was the first one to find a spot on the dirty crypt floor. Jeremy sat right next to me, and Ric and Caroline followed suit. They seemed harmless enough but I was still a little apprehensive about dealing with powerful witches of this magnitude.

"My name is Margaret and these are my sisters Angela, Beatrice, and Emily," she said motioning to the three other women in front of us. "I understand that you have recently experienced a grave loss that has been…unbearable…to deal with."

Her choice of words was accurate. Losing Damon was unbearable to me, as was losing Bonnie. The loss didn't feel recent though. Being without them seemed like an eternity already. I decided to speak first.

"Yes Ms. Fillmore you are correct. Four months ago my boyfriend and best friend never made it back from The Other Side after risking their lives to save many of our friends," I stated that fact proudly because how Damon and Bonnie died was in fact heroic.

"So they died heroes you say," Margaret interjected as if she didn't really believe it.

"They did. And we need to get them back."

"Well my dear that is going to be a bit of a problem, seeing as The Other Side no longer exists," the other sister Beatrice stated. "But I suppose that is why you are here to see us, isn't it? Word has spread of our…unique…abilities."

Jeremy eyed Beatrice before he spoke. "If by unique abilities you mean your family's history of jumping to different dimensions then, yes that is why we are here."

Margaret then began to explain, "Hundreds of years ago our family lived in the Highlands of Britannia, which you would know today as Scotland. They were practitioners of old Celtic magic that stemmed back to the original Druids that settled that island. They learned to harness the power from the Druid's old standing stone circles. They discovered that these stones held many mystical properties, but mainly focused on traveling through dimension and space."

I was completely enthralled by her story. Although the supernatural was a part of our everyday lives, this took it to a whole other level. I needed to know more.

"How many different dimensions are there?" I asked.

"Hundreds," she replied. "There are hundreds of dimensions and my family has explored many of them."

"Have you ever been to one called, The Nether World?"

A shudder was sent through all four women. It wasn't exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Margaret cautiously answered me then.

"Yes dear I have heard of The Nether World. It is one of the hardest dimensions to access. And even more difficult to return from. It is the dimension that claimed our younger brother years ago when he first started practicing our kind of magic. He was only 10 years old when he disappeared." Margaret was noticeably shaken but then continued. "I am assuming that is where your loved ones are?"

"Yes. My boyfriend Damon has found a way to communicate with me from there. Every night I wake inside a stone circle and he is there. He can talk to me and touch me. It feels so real," I explained to Margaret.

"He must have found a very powerful witch to be able to find you and communicate from The Nether. It is almost unheard of. And his love for you must run very deep."

I couldn't help but smile at this because I knew it did. Damon's love for me was stronger than death and far off dimensions. "That is why we have to do whatever it takes to get them back. I hope you understand."

"Oh I understand young girl. But I don't think you do. What it will take to get there is something we have not yet discussed."

This is the warning that Damon must have been talking about last night when I saw him. He spoke of great risk and sacrifice and I could see the writing on the wall. I didn't care though. There is nothing that I wouldn't do to get back to Damon and Bonnie. "Please just tell me what I have to do," I asked desperately.

"Dear, you need to die."

I sat there in shock and Alaric shifted uncomfortably before yelling, "No way! Absolutely not, there is no way that Damon would want you to put yourself at risk like that!"

I put a hand on Alaric's shoulder, "Ric, you know that I would do anything, ANYTHING to get them back here with us. There will be no argument here."

"But Elena, what if something goes wrong?"

I couldn't help but remember when I said those same words to Damon when he told me about his plan to trigger the explosion. My worst fears were realized when he didn't come back and I felt for Ric and his concern but it didn't matter. I needed to do this.

"Ric, I understand your concern. But you have seen me the past four months. Is what I am doing living anyway? Is Jeremy living? Can we be doomed to always be searching for the missing part of ourselves? I can't live like that. Not anymore."

Ric gave me a sad smile and inhaled a slow, deep breathe, "Elena…"

"Please Ric. You have to understand and accept this."

He didn't say anything back but simply nodded and looked down at the ground. Caroline also looked at me with a simple supportive nod. Then Jeremy was in front of me.

"I'm coming with you. Bonnie is over there too and I can't let you do this alone."

"Unfortunately young man, only one can pass through," Emily was the one who was speaking now, "And it sounds like Elena's connection to this dimension is already strong. She is the better option."

Jeremy looked disappointed but turned back to face me, "You shouldn't have to do this alone."

"I won't be alone, Jer. Damon and Bonnie will be with me."

Jeremy smiled at Elena and gave her a hug. "So what exactly does my sister need to do?"

"Tomorrow night is the full moon. You will need to return here so we can perform the sacrifice. First we will open a portal, and once Elena is successfully…dead, we can perform the inter-dimensional spell that will hopefully reunite her with her loved ones in The Nether."

"Hopefully reunite her?" Jeremy asked nervously.

"Not all spells are perfect, especially when practicing this type of magic. But I assure you we are very good at what we do, child." Angela spoke calmly and comfortably, which put everyone a little more at ease.

"Once you are there, that is where the real work begins," Margaret continued, " you must find your loved ones and whatever witch they are working with. You are not just dying to get to them you are dying so the magic has a trail to follow on your return."

"How do we return?" I asked, knowing this is the giant unknown that no one has spoke of yet.

"When my ancestors visited and explored the other dimensions they always left token that could be used for a return spell. In The Nether it is an amulet…like a large pendant on a chain. Unfortunately we have no idea where it is, which is why you will need the help of the witch they are working with. Hopefully they can perform a locator spell to find it. You will take this with you."

Margaret held out a ring and showed it to me. "This ring will be your connection to my family's magic when you are there. It should assist you for the locator spell."

She gave the ring back to her sister Emily, "The hour is late. You need to return tomorrow night before the moon is at it's highest point in the sky. We will perform the sacrifice then. Until tomorrow." Margaret nodded her head and in a whoosh of dust and wind, all four of them were gone leaving us alone in the crypt.

No one knew what to say I guess because everyone was silent. I started walking to the car, eager to get back to the motel and go to bed. I needed to fill Damon in on the plan and couldn't wait to see him. Soon everyone was in the car and Alaric drove us back to the motel in silence.

**The Motel – New Orleans**

**Elena POV**

I crawled into bed, eager for sleep to take me. I was a little nervous to tell Damon the plan because I knew he wouldn't like it. But it didn't matter. Nothing was going to stop me now. I began drifting off to sleep.

I woke in the usual spot, but this time Damon was already waiting for me.

"Elena." He whispered, almost like a prayer. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for a while. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine Damon." I said back. I needed to start explaining the plan now. We never knew how much time we had before being torn apart again. "We met with the witches tonight outside of New Orleans."

"What did they say? Is there a way for us to come back?"

"Where there is magic there is always a way, but you might not like it."

"I figured as much. I've been preparing myself to hear the plan that my risk taking girlfriend will be crazy enough to try." Damon said with his trademark crooked grin.

I giggled a little before elaborating on the plan. "Damon tomorrow night is the full moon. We are returning to Margaret's coven to perform the…spell that will begin the process of bringing you guys back." I used the word "spell" first because I was afraid to use the word "sacrifice" just yet.

"What kind of process are we talking about here? I should have assumed that this wasn't going to be easy." Damon mused.

"It's not. In order for this to work we need to leave a trail of magic from one dimension to another. To do that one of us needs to cross-over to you guys." I hesitated to see his reaction but Damon didn't seem surprised. It's like he already knew what this was going to take. "Damon tomorrow during the full moon the witches are going to have to first kill me before I can…cross over to you."

Damon took in a slow breath, and exhaled loudly. "This is what I was afraid of Elena. That you would have to go to this type of length to get us back…" he stopped and thought for few seconds before speaking again. "Selfishly, I actually like this plan because I know that you will really be with me again. But at what cost?"

"It's the same sacrifice we made at The Grill. I got into that car with you once, there is no question that I would do it again. Especially for you and Bonnie." Elena knew she wasn't going to have to say much more to convince him. "The witches can bring us all back. Once I am with you I can fill you in on the rest."

"There is nothing I can say to stop you, so I'm not going to waste any more of our time together trying to talk you out of it."

"Smart move Salvatore," I replied smiling. "Just think, this time tomorrow I will be with you. Like really be with you. No time limit, no magic, just you and me."

"Don't forget about the amazing company of your best friend," Damon added in with a smile.

"Of course, seeing Bonnie will be just another perk."

Before their time was up Damon needed a little more information from Elena. "So how is this going to go down tomorrow? What should Bonnie and I do?"

"Margaret said the standing stones act like a portal. After she stakes me…" Damon shuddered and looked down with a frown. It was obvious that it was difficult for him to imagine. "I should come out here."

"What do you mean you 'should' come out here? What if you don't? How am I supposed to find you?" He was noticeably worried.

"I will come out here. Just make sure you and Bonnie are there when I do."

"Elena we will be here, I promise." He said and kissed me softly on the lips. "Just in case, there is a village about 3 miles North of the stones. Find a man named Varro. He is the name of the witch who has been helping us." He kissed me again and looked me in the eyes.

"Varro. Got it. Everything is going to be okay Damon. I will see you soon."

Damon embraced me tighter before he said, "Real soon."

I woke up in the motel with a sigh. Hopefully that was the last time I would ever have to be torn from Damon's arms again.

**Outside New Orleans**

**9:00pm**

**Elena POV**

We all got back to the cemetery before the full moon was at its peak. As the sacrifice got closer, I had a tidal wave of different emotions attacking me all at once. Anticipation, fear, excitement, longing. Mainly longing for Damon's arms to really be around me again, but slightly fearful that maybe this wouldn't work and I would just be…dead.

No, it would work.

The Fillmore sisters were ready to begin their spell. In the center of the crypt was a circle of candles. Margaret said they signified the stone circle from the other dimension, where I would be ending up. "Elena, we are ready to begin," Margaret spoke softly.

I turned to Alaric and Caroline. "Wish me luck guys. Next time you see me I will hopefully be plus one vampire and an ex-witch."

"Good luck Elena," they each said and gave me a hug. Jeremy was next. He hugged me even tighter before saying, "Bring them back. I love you Elena."

"I will. And I love you too Jer."

"There is no more time to waste. Please Elena we must hurry," Margaret directed me to the middle of the circle. "Lay down in the center of the candles and here, put on my family ring."

I put the ring on and laid down in the center. The sisters began chanting. Three of them were chanting together while I saw Margaret pick up a huge wooden stake from the altar. I tried not to panic and to focus on Damon. How soon I would see him. Suddenly, as if through a giant, swirling magic mirror there he was. And so was Bonnie. This was it, it was all happening…the first step in getting them back. That's all I remember before it went black.

**The Nether World**

**Damon POV**

Bonnie and I had already been waiting at the stone circle for a few hours when it happened. We didn't want to miss Elena and have her end up here scared and alone. I wasn't going to let that happen. We were waiting at the stones when all of a sudden the wind picked up and the view in front of us started swirling. It eventually opened like a giant portal to a dark room that was difficult to see into. It didn't take us long to figure out exactly what we were witnessing.

"Bonnie I think this is the portal. The one Elena is going to come through."

"Damon I think you are rig—" she stopped suddenly. "Jeremy?" Bonnie said in a hopeful voice as she squinted and looked into the swirling opening. "Oh my god Jeremy!"

"BONNIE!?" Jeremy's voice came through the portal. Somehow at this moment both worlds had this one connection through this one rip in time and space. We could see everyone in the crypt and they could see us. Ric, Caroline, the witches, they were all there.

Then I saw Elena, lying in the center of the room with candles all around her. "Elena!" I cried out to her but she didn't move or even acknowledge our presence. That's when I realized what was about to happen. The sacrifice. The older witch held the stake above her head and while chanting plunged it viciously into Elena's heart.

"Oh my god," I said as I looked down and cringed. I closed my eyes blinking back the tears that threatened to fall at witnessing this. I closed them for what seemed like only a few seconds but when I opened them…the portal was gone. It was gone but Elena was still there, in the center of the standing stones. Lying there with the stake still protruding from her chest.

"Oh god no, no," I got to her as fast as my vampire speed could take me and pulled stake from her chest. "Elena! Elena please wake up! Come on baby, you are okay, you are okay."

The next minute was the longest minute of my life. Bonnie's voice interrupted my panicking.

"Damon, calm down. I'm sure she will heal and wake up any second now."

"This is taking way too long Bonnie, something isn't right." I didn't care about my snarky manliness and just let my worried tears fall this time. I gathered her in my arms and cradled her close, whispering into her hair, "Elena please wake up. You made it to us. You made it this far. PLEASE!"

That's when she finally took in her first gasp of Nether World air.

"Elena? Hey baby, it me, it's Damon."

"D-Damon?" Elena replied softly as she looked up at me with those beautiful brown eyes.

"Hey, yeah it's me. You're here." I smiled down at her, still cradling her in my arms.

"I made it." Elena said relieved. Then she heard Bonnie's voice.

"Yes best friend, you made it. Welcome to The Nether World."

**That's it for now! Hope you continued to enjoy the story and please review **


	4. Chapter 4: The Village Walls

**Next chapter! I'm clearly sticking with the "fantasy" theme here so I hope you guys are enjoying that so far.**

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 4 – The Village Walls**

**The Nether World**

**Elena POV**

After 4 months of pure hurt and agony, I finally made it. I was back in the arms of my twin flame, my dark knight, my Damon. I thought this moment was a complete impossibility. People have been telling me for months that I needed to move on, to let go, and I am so glad that I never did. As I looked around in awe of my surroundings I turned to face Damon.

He was already looking at me. In fact I don't think he has taken his eyes off of me since I came through the portal. He spoke in a concerned tone, "Are you sure you are okay? You just scared the living hell out of me, Elena."

"Yeah I'm feeling completely healed it's just," I looked at Bonnie, "it's a little surreal being here with both of you. The past four months were just so…"

Damon put a gentle hand on my back to comfort me. The simple gesture helped me to continue, "They were so hard. And here we are…and I'm so happy," I smiled and Bonnie came over to finally hug me. We stayed in our friendly embrace until I snapped back to reality and the next task at hand.

"We need to find Varro, Damon. The one that's been helping you communicate with me."

"Okay, no problem there. He's become a very good friend of ours the last couple months. I'm sure he will be willing to help us," Damon gave me a reassuring smile before his mood turned a little darker. "We should start heading back to the village. This is the latest we have ever been outside the village walls."

The worry in Damon's voice made my hair stand up on end. "What's outside the village walls?"

"We don't know exactly," Bonnie said, "The villagers always make a point to stay inside during most hours of the night. Varro told us the same thing, that we should be…cautious."

"Cautious of the NETHER CREATURES!" Damon joked and smiled but I wasn't laughing. I didn't want any other creepy little variables getting in the way of our plan to get back home. I gave him a little nudge.

"Damon that's not funny. Let's go, I'm starting to get creeped out."

Damon reached down and took my hand as we started walking back towards the village. "Alright let's go. You said that you would tell me the rest of our return plan when you got here so, how's this all gonna work?"

I held out my left hand with Margaret's family ring on it. I took it off as I explained, "This ring is the key to finding our ticket home," I explained to Damon and Bonnie. "We need to use it in a locator spell to find a magic Amulet. That Amulet is the key to open up the return portal back to New Orleans."

"Why am I suddenly having Moonstone flashbacks?" Damon said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

I laughed a little before Bonnie interrupted, "What makes you think that Varro can help us find this Amulet?"

"Varro must be far more powerful than he is letting on. Margaret told me that in order for you to be able to communicate with me like you did, it would take a very powerful witch with knowledge of their type of magic. And also that our connection has to be very…deep," I finished looking at Damon with a small smile. He gave my hand a slight squeeze and smiled back. "I know he will be able to help us find it."

We kept walking and I could finally see the village in the distance ahead of us. It had extremely high walls and an impenetrable looking gate with a few guards at the top. Then I heard something in the brush. I turned and look to see something moving in the distance.

"Damon I think something's out there."

We froze and looked around us only to notice too late that slowly there were some dark figures beginning to surround us. Damon spoke in a calm but insisting tone, "When I say go I will pick up Bonnie and we are vamp-speed running it to that gate, got it?"

I replied softly, trying not to panic, "Got it."

Hesitating no more, Damon quietly said, "Go!"

We ran full tilt as fast as our vampire speed could take us. The figures were closing in, and were surprisingly fast considering we were vampires and they were somehow catching up to us. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to look back to see what the heck was chasing us. What I saw was about 10 faceless figures with black hooded cloaks. They hovered and glided gracefully over the dry Nether World ground. They were fast, but hopefully we were faster. As we approached the gate we heard the guards.

"Who goes there?" One of the guards yelled down to us.

"Friends of Varro! Please open the gate! Hurry!" Damon responded.

"Are you three insane?! No one leaves the walls this time of night!" The guard yelled back as they opened the gates. We had just made it inside when I noticed something was missing.

Margaret's family ring.

I must have dropped it in the panic. I turned to exit back through the gate. "I dropped the ring! Damon, I dropped Margaret's ring!" I was running back outside and heard Damon's voice yell back at me.

"Elena NO! Don't you dare!" His voice was furious but I kept going anyway. We needed that ring, it was our only way to make it back home to Alaric, Jeremy, Caroline, and Stefan. They were counting on me to bring us all home. I had to get it back. "Damon, make sure they leave the gate open!" I yelled back at him as I left.

"God damn it Elena!" Damon cursed out loud and then looked up at the guard who was starting to close the gate. "Keep that gate open do you hear me? Someone is still out there!"

I had just showed Bonnie and Damon the ring before these creatures appeared so it couldn't be far. I was frantically searching all over but couldn't find it anywhere. The hooded figures were getting closer and closer. I heard Damon and Bonnie yelling in the distance but I ignored their cries. The next thing I felt was Damon's arms around me urging me to come with him.

"Elena! Elena lets go! Come on, they are getting closer!"

That's when I saw the ring about twenty feet in front of me. I wriggled from Damon's grasp and ran towards the ring. "Elena!" Damon cried. He will be so mad at me later, but I had to take this chance. Had to get it back. I reached it before the black creature but it was right on my tail as I ran back to Damon.

"Come on Elena!" Damon said as I finally reached him and we were running back together. "Start closing it!" Damon yelled as we approached. We got closer and the gate opening got smaller and smaller until we finally slipped through. Damon and I were breathing heavy trying to recover from the intense speed that we had just been moving at. I was afraid to look him in the eye, and afraid what he would say.

He stood there in silence just looking at me. I was waiting to be reprimanded for my carelessness but he said nothing. Instead he did the one thing that I never expected. The one thing that hurt the most. Damon turned away from me and just silently walked away.

I started to follow but Bonnie put a hand on my shoulder before telling me, "Elena. Just give him a minute, okay?"

Was Bonnie suddenly the expert on what my boyfriend needed? "But Bonnie, I need to go talk to him…"

"ELENA," Bonnie used the same tone as she did in the crypt before telling me that it was too late to get Damon back. "You still don't understand do you?" Bonnie was looking at me with sad eyes.

"Understand what?"

"Less than an hour ago, the man who loves you more than anything in this or ANY other universe saw you come through a portal with a stake in your heart. For a minute I'm pretty sure he thought you were dead. He told you how scared he was and even after all that…you still find a way to put yourself in unnecessary danger. What the hell is wrong with you?" Bonnie's words shook me to the core. I didn't even know that to say.

"Bonnie I'm sorry I just…"

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to."

"I know but, where did he go?"

"He probably went back to Varro's house. He knows that I can get us there and just needed some time to…de-stress" Bonnie guessed. "Come on, let's go."

Bonnie and I walked in awkward silence all the way back to Varro's house. I felt awful. Like a weak damsel in distress who was always finding herself in compromising situations. I hated the thought of putting Damon through that, but I was just trying to be brave and do the right thing to get us back home. I knew I had to find him and somehow get him to understand. That's when I saw him sitting out front on a bench by himself. Bonnie gestured over to him suggesting that I now go talk to him.

As I approached him I felt his mood loosen up a bit. I took that as my opportunity to speak. "Damon, I…I am so sorry about what happened back there."

He looked up at me with those big blue eyes. Those eyes could carry so many different emotions, but now they looked like they belonged to a young child. He spoke softly, "Elena after all these years and everything we have been through, I still don't think you get it." I just sat quietly next to him and listened as he continued, "I can't live without you. You are my life and the minute you make it back to me…I have to spend it thinking you are dead." His voice was soft and sad. "Then the next thing I know you are recklessly running back towards the mystery creatures that were trying to run us down!" His voice was steadily rising in agitation and I still didn't feel like it was my time to talk yet.

"Elena, I just want you to know that you putting yourself in danger…puts me through hell." He immediately looked down at the ground in front of us.

Oh my god. Putting Damon through hell is the last thing that I would ever want to do. "Damon you are right. This is what I do. I sacrifice myself for the ones that I love. And you are at the very top of that list because…I can't live without you either. And the thought of putting you through hell just, kills me."

He looked at me then and smiled sweetly before kissing me gently on the forehead. "Then stop doing it," he said looking deep into my eyes and brushing my cheek.

"Okay," I said back and returned his kiss. "So are we okay?"

"Of course we are okay," he said as he rubbed my back, "I just needed a minute to process the last crazy hour of our lives."

"It was pretty crazy huh."

"Uh yeah."

"Damon?" We heard a male voice from inside the house. It must be Varro. I was excited to meet the powerful witch that helped connect Damon to me again.

"Out here Varro," Damon called back towards the house. "We will be right in."

Damon and I made our way into Varro's house. The house was cozy but looked like something out of the 1860's back in our dimension. Technology wasn't very advanced here and it didn't even seem like there was any electricity. We were all standing in his living room when Damon introduced me, "Varro, this is my beautiful and fearless girlfriend, Elena. The love of my life."

Varro smiled and moved to take my hand. "It's an honor to meet you Elen—"

He stopped suddenly when he saw the ring on my finger. It's as if he was frozen in time for several seconds as he looked at the ring before continuing to speak, "Where did you get that ring my dear?"

"The family of witches that helped me get here gave it to me." I started to explain, "It's actually one of the keys that is supposed to get us back to our dimension."

"I haven't seen that ring in almost 50 years," Varro started again with a smile on his face. "I'm assuming that Margaret gave it to you."

"Why yes she did. Wait, how did you know what her name was?" I asked surprised. "Damon did you tell him?" I looked over at Damon and he shook his head no.

"Because Margaret was my…my…sister."

**That's it for this chapter guys! Sorry if I seemed a little short. Please review if you have a second **


	5. Chapter 5: Shadow Demons

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 5 – Shadow Demons**

**Varro's House**

**Damon POV**

"I was 10 years old," Varro began telling us how he ended up in the Nether World as a boy. "My sisters were a lot older than me and were always going off to practice spells on their own. I was always left watching and learning from afar."

Varro's face was sad as he recalled the memories from his childhood and especially from that fateful day. "One day I snuck out to the clearing in the woods that I saw my sisters in the day before. I was determined to prove to them that I could do everything they could do…so they wouldn't leave me out anymore. I began the same spell and…I was right. I could do everything they could do, but the problem was, I was an impulsive child that never thought about what came next."

Impulsive was a word I understood all too well. The 'crazy impulsive vampire in love with his brother's girl' is how Klaus described me. And he was right. That was how I chose to behave and live my life. I could sympathize with Varro and where he was coming from. I then asked him, "So what happened with the spell? It sent you here all my yourself?"

"It did. I was a 10-year-old boy, alone and scared, in a dimension far from home. I had come to a strange place with no way of returning home again." All three of us were listening intently to Varro's story. I looked over at Elena who seemed to have a small tear in her eye. She was probably thinking of Jeremy. I reached over and held her hand. She gave me a small grateful smile in return as Varro continued.

"I was lucky to find a family that took me and raised me as their own. I changed my name to Varro…it was the name of one of my favorite Roman Gladiators from the stories I read as a child. And the rest is history. I officially became a resident of the Nether World."

We sat in silence for a few moments when he finished, not sure what to say first. Bonnie then asked the question that I'm sure was on all of our minds, "Varro if it's possible would you want to come back with us?"

"If you showed up 25 years ago the answer would be yes, but…my life is here now, my family is here. Lets just focus on trying to get you three back where you belong, shall we? So Elena tell me about this Amulet my sisters mentioned."

"Well we don't know much about it, only that we should be able to locate it using the ring." Elena gave the ring the Varro. "And that it is supposed to be the key to getting us back. If we bring the Amulet back inside the stone circle it should begin the return spell."

Varro looked at the ring closely, "Hmmm interesting. After 50 years I am finally learning the correct way to do the return spell. All it took was an ex-witch and two vampires that apparently can't live without each other to figure it out." He said with a small smile.

Now that Varro's story was done I had another question weighing on my mind, especially if we were supposed to go back out on an Amulet hunt. "Varro what the hell were those things that chased us into the city gates?"

"Those my friend are what we call 'Shadow Demons'. They feed on all types of magic and sense when it is in the area. When Elena came through they sensed it and came out to...hunt. I am so sorry I didn't tell you about them earlier but they only come out when the sun goes down and I thought you would surely be back by then."

I swallowed hard and gave a concerned look at Elena. These creatures hunt and feed on the very medium that brought Elena here. These things are going to be a major pain in my ass. "What do you mean by 'feed' exactly?"

"Once they locate the source of magic they, how do I put this, absorb it my breathing in the essence of that person or object. For an inanimate object, like the ring for instance it just takes the magical properties and nothing more. But for a living being like a witch or a vampire…" he hesitated.

"What happens to a living being?" I asked nervously.

"They suck your whole life essence right out of you. Leaving you like an…empty shell."

"Are you sure you don't want to come back with us?" Bonnie joked to try and lighten the mood.

Varro smiled but noticed how tense Elena and I had both become. These Shadow Demons could be a very dangerous problem for Elena, Varro, and me. The only person safe from detection is Bonnie because she isn't a witch anymore.

"Is there a way to take these things down?" I asked hoping there would be a way to combat them in case we ran into them again.

"If you are fast enough to cut off its head before it gets you in its hold that will stop them. Vampires can also out run them. You are faster. That is a big advantage."

This just kept getting better and better. At least they only come out at night. Hopefully there aren't any Shadow Demon daylight rings.

Elena spoke up for the first time in a while, "I think we can handle these things, what do you think, Damon?" She sounded so brave and confident.

"Well between daylight, our speed, and the fact that they won't come after Bonnie I think we should be able to evade them for the most part. If we are careful." I emphasized the word "careful" as a reminder of our earlier conversation.

"We will be careful, and look out for each other. It's what we always do." Elena said with a smile. I smiled back at her with a nod. "Varro, are you able to do a locator spell to find this Amulet?"

"With my sister's ring there is a good chance that we will be successful in locating the Amulet." He took the ring over to his kitchen table and set it in the middle. He walked over to a bookshelf and pulled out what must be an old spell book. He began reading the spell to himself until he suddenly stopped and looked up. He exhaled slowly, "I am sorry but I may have spoken too soon. It seems as though the locator spell needed for this Amulet requires something that is almost impossible to find."

Bonnie, Elena, and I looked at each other sadly. It was hard to stay positive when it seemed like there was a new obstacle threatening us at every turn. I asked Varro, "And what exactly is that?"

"Doppelganger blood. So unless you know of any doppelgangers in a dimension that you have only been in for 4 months then I suggest we find another way."

I should have known. "Well some things never change. There are doppelgangers here too huh?" I said with a slight laugh. "It just so happens that my beautiful girlfriend here is in fact, a doppelganger."

Elena shook her head in what seemed like disbelief but I'm sure she was just as unsurprised as me. "How much do you need?" Elena asked holding out her hand.

"Elena, you are a doppelganger? Well that changes everything. I should only need a small amount." He grabbed a knife and cup to capture the powerful liquid that flowed through Elena's veins. "I am ready to begin."

He started chanting his witchy words until he seemed to go into some kind of a trance. Varro's eyes opened wide and as he continued, dipped his pen into the cup of Elena's blood and started drawing what looked like a map. Hopefully he knew how to read it because I had no idea what anything on there was. The only thing I could make out looked like a cave at the base of a mountain. He dropped the pen and snapped out of his spell.

"Did it work?" Elena asked anxiously

Varro looked at the map he just drew very carefully. He shook his head but never looked back up at us. I walked over to him and picked up the map to take a look at it myself before asking him, "Do you know where this is?"

Varro finally looked up at us. "Yes I do know where this is but it's not good."

I had a bad feeling about this, "Let me guess, it's in that cave in the picture that just so happens to be where those damn Shadow Demons live. Am I right?"

"That you are Damon" Varro replied. "Let's just hope the magic is still intact. It must be. Usually they just suck the magic out of things and leave them. There must be a reason they are keeping it there."

"So this just got a lot more tricky," I said looking at Elena. I found she was already throwing me a worried look. She wasn't saying anything so I decided that it might be time to call it a night and discuss the next step in the morning. "You know, it's been a really long day and night so far. Why don't we turn in and talk about this tomorrow, okay?"

"Sounds like a great idea, goodnight guys." Bonnie said as she walked away.

"Yeah, yeah okay." Elena followed in a soft almost inaudible voice.

"Okay friends, sleep well and we can discuss things further in the morning." Varro said before turning and walking into his own room.

"Come on," I said softly to Elena as I put my hand on the small of her back. "I'll show you to our room."

"Our room?" Elena replied with a smile, "There hasn't been an 'our room' in way too long."

I smiled and led her into the small room with a bed barely big enough for two. The fire was raging in the fireplace, which made it feel a lot more like our home at the boarding house. I know she was tired from her ordeal today so I wanted to make her as comfortable as possible. I laid down on the bed and touched the spot next to me. "Elena, come here."

She laid down next to me and we just stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes. Elena finally snuggled up to me with her head on my chest before breaking the silence. "Oh Damon I missed this so much. Missed you so much."

She was crying again now. With all of the excitement since she got here, I don't think she really got a chance to process everything.

"You know what I missed even more than this?" I said as I rolled over on top of her. "This." I was kissing her softly now. "And this. And this." After each word I kissed a different part of her beautiful face until I returned to her lips. The kiss deepened until our inhibitions finally got the best of us and we were tearing each other's clothes off. Four months of needing and wanting the other's presence and touch all culminating into one epic moment of passion.

I never thought I would have my Elena in my arms again and now that she was here I have no idea how I lived those months without her. I know I could never live without her again. The sweet kisses we placed all over each other's bodies lingered until dawn. When we saw the sun coming up we knew that it was time to get some sleep. I held her tight as we drifted off to get as much rest as we could before facing the perilous situation that we had before us.

**The Next Morning**

**Elena POV**

I woke to the slow, steady breathing of the man that I love. The love of my life who has miraculously been returned to me. I slowly look up at his sweet, sleeping form and just take in his exquisite beauty. His thick raven hair and his eyelashes that any woman would be envious of. His soft, kissable lips and high cheekbones that gave him the chiseled features that have made me swoon since the second I laid eyes on him. God it was so hard hating him, and even harder to fight my feelings. Thank god he slowly showed me the man who was really inside that early cold exterior because his beautiful soul would have been lost to me forever.

He was slowly stirring now so I kissed him on the cheek and watched as his lips curled up into a smile. "Good morning," I said softy while running my fingers through his hair.

"Good morning, sunshine." He said back with a smile. "Are you ready to face the world today?"

"With you I feel like I can face anything." I truly meant that will all of my heart. Now that Damon was back with me it felt like there was nothing that could bring us down or tear us apart.

"Alright then," Damon said as he started to get out of bed. I quickly stopped him though.

"Wait! Just a few more minutes." I nestled my head between his shoulder and neck once more trying to savor the moment for just a little longer.

"Fine with me," Damon said and kissed my forehead. "Anything to delay the inevitable crap shoot that this little mission is going to be."

"Come on Damon, we have to think positive. I think the four of us make a pretty good team."

I could feel Damon take a deep breath and exhale it back out. "We do make a good team. I just hope that it's enough."

With that I sat up and started getting dressed. Damon followed but didn't seem convinced. I went over to him and took his face in my hands. "Hey look at me. It will be. We will find a way. We always survive."

Damon smiled back with a renewed sense of confidence. "I know we do. Come on, lets go see if Bonnie and Varro are awake. Lets go get this Amulet."


	6. Chapter 6: The Cave

**Here is the next chapter! I'm aiming for 10 chapters in this story. Thank you for the follows, favs, and reviews **

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 6 – The Cave**

**Varro's House**

**Damon POV**

It was late morning by the time Elena and I emerged from our room after our long night of being together again. We never wanted to leave that room and face the dangers that await us outside the gates, but if we want to get home, and get Bonnie back to Jeremy we need to work together to come up with a plan.

"Well good morning you two." Bonnie said with a sly smile. "Glad you could grace us with your presence."

"Did you expect anything else, witchy?" I playfully said back to her. Bonnie and I had developed a much stronger friendship over the last 4 months. Being stranded here helped her get to know the real me that I often kept behind my snarky façade.

"Nope." She smiled again. "Well while you guys were getting um…ready, Varro and I have been throwing around some ideas on how to get the Amulet from the cave."

"Alright, lets here it."

Varro began explaining the plan so far. "Since the Shadow Demons can only come outside at night we should only have to worry about them when we are inside the cave. So traveling there should be relatively simple."

His choice of words made me take pause. "Wait a minute Varro, what do you mean 'we'? I didn't think you would be coming with us."

"I didn't think so either but…after being with you and Bonnie the last 4 months and hearing about your loved ones and seeing what devoted friends you are, then meeting Elena and knowing the risk she took coming here to get you I just," he paused for a moment, "I want you three to make it home and I want to help you."

We all stood in awe for a moment. This man who we have only known for a few short months is willing to risk his life to help us get home. As honored as I was I couldn't let him do this.

"Varro, no." I told him vehemently. "You have a daughter, and grandchildren. You can't risk leaving your own family for us. I won't let you."

Elena seemed to agree with me because she also spoke up, "Varro we are grateful that you want to help us but Damon is right. You can't put yourself at risk like that. We can manage this ourselves."

"Are you sure my friends? You haven't been in The Nether long. I know far more about these lands and the creatures you will encounter." Varro still wanted to help us but none of us were going to let him come. Bonnie was the final one to give her reassurance.

"Varro we will be fine. Please…stay with your family." Bonnie said and put an additional supportive hand on his shoulder.

He seemed to get the point now that we are going to do this on our own. "So now that it's settled, tell us the rest about this going to go down." I asked.

Bonnie was always used to filling the role of saving our asses. This mission would be nothing different if I knew her. She continued what Varro began telling us before, "So we can travel to the cave during daylight but once we are there is where it gets complicated. The Amulet will be somewhere inside but since we don't know exactly we will need some time to find it."

"Time that you won't have because once the Demons sense vampires, they will be seeking you out." Varro added.

"Which is where I come in." Bonnie continued. "I am not a witch anymore so there is no magic for them to sense. I will enter the cave with you guys and look for the Amulet."

I put my arm around Elena and pulled her a little closer to me before adding, "So while you look for the Amulet, Elena and I will have to distract them and defend ourselves…"

"With terminal velocity" Varro said sternly. "You will literally be fighting for your lives."

"With what?" Elena asked worriedly.

Varro pulled out three massive swords. "With these. I told you that your best defense is to cut off their heads before they can start sucking the magic and life out of you. This is what you will use."

We each picked up a sword and felt them in our hands. Of all the crazy weapons we have used over the years…Wolfsbane Grenades, White Oak Stakes, and Compound Crossbows; these took it to a whole new level.

"Use your strength and speed, and you should be able to over take them." Varro said confidently.

"How many of them are there?" Elena asked. It was an excellent question. We were walking into a lion's den with no clue how many of these things would challenge us.

"Unfortunately no one knows for sure. Just expect the worst."

"I think we are used to doing that." Bonnie said and she was right. The challenges we have faced in the past are no different than this one.

"We are also used to watching each other's backs and taking care of each other. We will do that again here." Elena said leaning into me. I kissed the top of her head.

"Once I find the Amulet I will try and grab it myself. If something happens and I can't get to it, I will have to find you guys and hopefully you will be in the position to help me." Bonnie continued, finishing the rest of the plan. "Once we get it, we head right for the stone circle. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a plan to me, what do you think Damon?" Elena asked me.

"I think there is no such thing as a perfect plan when it comes to what we are about to do but…it sounds alright to me." I said trying to hide my cynicism as best I could. I didn't have any other ideas though and this seemed like our best chance. "We leave tomorrow at first light."

**The Next Morning**

**Damon POV**

The sun was about to rise as we were finishing getting our supplies together. It was half a day's walk to the cave for humans. For us it will take a fraction of the time if I carry Bonnie. The perks of being a vampire. We gathered up our weapons and supplies and prepared to say goodbye to Varro. If all goes as planned this will be the last time we ever see him.

"Varro, my friend don't take this the wrong way but I hope that we never see you again." I said with a smile. "You have been such a help to us I don't know how I can possibly repay you."

"Damon, you saved my daughter's life with your blood. I am still eternally in your debt. Good luck on your quest and watch out for each other." He put his hand out to shake my hand but instead I pulled him in for a hug. I was able to find Elena again because of him and I couldn't help myself, I had to hug the guy.

"Bye Varro, thank you for everything." Bonnie said and also hugged him. Elena stepped up and hugged him next.

"I've only known you for a couple days but, I still feel like I owe you everything. Thank you for taking care of Damon and Bonnie the past 4 months. I'm glad they had a friend like you watching over them and helping them." Elena said thankfully.

"You are all very welcome. Can you do just one more thing for me? Please tell my sisters that I am okay. Tell them that I have had a great life with a wonderful family but that I still miss them everyday. Can you do that?" Varro asked.

"Of course we will," Elena told him. "It's the least we can do."

"Thank you, friends. It's time to go. You want as much daylight as possible."

We all embraced one more time and said our final goodbyes before heading out beyond the village walls once again.

"According to Varro's map and directions the cave should be straight that direction." Bonnie said pointing to the Southwest.

"Alright let's go." Elena said confidently.

"You ready to hitch a ride, Bon Bon?" I playfully said to Bonnie. She rolled her eyes then let me pick her up for our journey. "Lets get moving and kill ourselves some Shadow Demons."

Vampire speed is an amazing thing. We move 100 times faster than humans can walk yet the scenery around us still passes as if in slow motion. We moved fast across the barren wasteland until reaching a wooded area. We stopped to rest for just a few moments.

"The cave should be just through these woods." Bonnie informed us. We were so close and I started to feel the fear creeping up on me a bit. Elena and I were all powerful vampires but these Demons were powerful as well and what if they…no. I wasn't going to let anything happen to any of us.

"I think we should all walk from here," I said. We could be more careful and approach with more surprise if we move slow and quiet.

We walked through the small patch of woods and could see the clearing ahead of us. Beyond the clearing was the cave at the base of the mountain. This was it, the cave of wonders. And by wonders I mean evil faceless demons that could suck the life out of Elena and me.

"Damon?" I was broken out of my thoughts by Elena's voice. She sounded so afraid.

"What is it?"

"Before we go any further I just want to say again that I love you. Whatever happens I am so glad that I made it here, back to you."

"Oh Elena, I know. We are going to make it back out, okay?" I didn't want to speak as if this was our goodbye because damn it, it wasn't going to be. We were going to get that damn Amulet and get back home in one piece.

Elena continued, her voice sounding more determined now, "If anything happens to you, I am going down with you. That way maybe Bonnie can at least get away."

I tried to protest but she stopped me. "The other night when you said you couldn't live without me. Well I can't live without you either and I am not going to."

Here we were again. Just like the night in my Camaro. "You know what you're signing up for?" I asked with a small smile.

"Yes. And I am still all in." She said back smiling back at me.

I pulled her in for a kiss that started simple and sweet but grew into something more. A kiss of two people breathing fire into each other's souls, a kiss of two soul mates who were about to go fight the battle of their lives side by side. Our lips and tongues were moving in perfect unison until the moment that they parted. I don't even know how much time has passed but we looked into each other's eyes before touching our foreheads together. "You ready my warrior princess?" I asked her.

"I'm ready my mysterious stranger." She answered back. "Let's go."

"Make sure your weapons are out as soon as we approach the cave. They could be right there waiting for us." I told Bonnie and Elena before we left the clearing. "Remember cut off their heads."

We all took a deep breath before leaving the woods to approach the cave. As we got closer to the entrance, we couldn't see inside because it was total darkness. "Bonnie you still have that torch that Varro gave you?"

"Got it." She said, "It looks like we are going to need it."

Bonnie lit the torch before we crossed the threshold of the cave. There was still no sign of the Shadow Demons. We stepped inside and slowly walked forward. The cave was tall with stalactites pointing down from the ceiling that dripped a foul smelling liquid. We couldn't see more than 4 feet in front of us, meaning they could be right upon us at any moment. Soon we came upon a fork in the cavern.

"Which way should we go?" Elena whispered

"Whatever we do we shouldn't separate." I said before noticing Margaret's ring glowing softly in the dark.

"Maybe it's telling us where to go." Bonnie whispered. "Does it stop glowing if we go down one of these tunnels?"

I covered Elena as she started walking into one of the tunnels. Sure enough the ring went dark. We tried the other one and the ring stayed illuminated. "Well would you look at that," I said, "I guess to the right it is. Bonnie, maybe you should take the ring, it will help you find it faster."

"I can't. The magic from the ring will draw them to me. I'm going to have to find it on my own."

We quietly continued down the right tunnel until we heard something ahead. "Did you hear that?" Elena whispered.

"Stay alert," I replied, "They could make themselves known at any moment."

Just as I finished my sentence we were in a massive cavern, like the main ballroom of a mansion. That's when we realized where we were. This was the main gathering place. In front of us was a mass of Shadow Demons, at least 20 but probably more that we couldn't see in the dark. They made a horrible hissing sound that showed their obvious distain for our presence there. They rose up and started coming towards us.

"Elena and I will start taking these guys down. Bonnie, go find the Amulet. Go!" I took my sword and sliced through the neck of the one closest to me. "Bonnie GO!"

Bonnie took off when the mayhem began. As they came towards me I sliced through each one pretty efficiently. My vampire speed was definitely working to my advantage. This might be easier than I thought. Elena and I might be able to…

Elena.

In the midst of fighting off the cloaked figures I tried to glance over at Elena to see how she was handling the situation. She seemed okay and managed a glance back my way. The nod of her head in between sword swings told me she was just fine. They kept coming at us in the dark and my thoughts went to Bonnie. "I hope Bonnie finds that damn thing soon. I'm not sure how much longer we can hold these guys off."

"Guys!" Bonnie called out from another tunnel, "I can't find it! We need the ring!"

Elena looked at me and knew what she had to do. "I'll go and protect her. Are you okay here on your own?"

"I'm fine, just please be careful Elena! Go get it!" I yelled back at her. I can't believe that we are splitting up but it's the only way. I saw her speed towards the tunnel and disappear into it. Only a few of the creatures followed, leaving the rest of them to me.

"You're messing with the wrong vampire you creepy faceless pains in the ass!" I yelled back at them while swinging my weapon wildly. I was in an unstoppable rage and they didn't have a chance. Everything was moving in slow motion until suddenly it was quiet and all I could hear was the sound of my own breathing. I evaluated my surroundings and saw too many dead Shadow Demons to count. It was just the dead creatures…and me.

Then I saw Bonnie emerge from the tunnel holding the Amulet. She was alone. The possibilities of where Elena was paralyzed me with fear until I saw her running out of the tunnel behind Bonnie. "Damon!" She called out to me.

"Elena thank god." I said as we ran to each other and embraced. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. We got it now lets get the hell out of here."

**That's it for now! Will they make it back to the stone circle without incident? Will the Amulet work and start the return spell? What will happen if they pass back through to New Orleans? The next chapter will reveal all **** Hope you liked it…please review!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Return

**Quick update this time! I think I've been pretty good about typos so far but I apologize for any. Please enjoy **

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 7: The Return**

**The Cave**

**Elena POV**

I emerged from the tunnel to find a relieved Damon waiting for me. I was just as relieved to see him. Thank god he was able to handle the rest of those things by himself. After fighting off countless numbers of Shadow Demons in the cave and successfully finding the Amulet I voiced my opinion of what should happen next.

"Let's get the hell out of here."

Bonnie had the Amulet safely in her jacket pocket. "I couldn't agree more," she said. "Let's hope there's no more of these ugly things lurking around."

"Be ready just in case and keep your weapons out." Damon added.

We headed back toward the entrance of the cave as quickly and quietly as possible. We could see the entrance ahead of us but it was barely visible because…the sun had already set. No. How was that possible? How long were we in that cave? We got closer to the entrance when a few creatures jumped in front of the entrance, blocking our exit.

"Oh crap." Damon said to himself

"Damon! Behind us!" I yelled back at him. We were trapped on all sides. Shadow Demons in front of us and behind us, and cave walls on either side. And this time they had their own weapons. They must have regrouped and waited to trap us here.

"What are we gonna do?" Bonnie cried out.

"We stand our ground and do everything we can to make it out of here alive." I said before looking over at Damon. His eyes were wide with worry and he shook his head. "We can do this Damon. You take the front, I'll take the back."

This time he nodded. "Here we go."

Damon was the first to attack. He approached the group at the entrance swinging away with his sword. I turned around and started defending myself against the others. A few creatures from the front began shooting arrows at us from inside their cloaks. Thankfully they were a crappy shot…probably because they had no eyes. I just kept fighting with all I had. Bonnie was beside me fighting too. She didn't have the strength or speed but most the creatures were focused on me and Damon, which gave her a slight advantage.

"Ahhhh!" I heard Damon cry in pain so I quickly looked over to find an arrow in his shoulder.

"Damon! Are you okay?!"

He pulled it out and kept swinging. He would heal in no time. "Yeah I'm fine just stay focused Elena!" Just as he said that 3 more arrows were shot into his body, pinning him against the wall.

"Damon! Bonnie, help him, please!"

Bonnie went over and tried to pull the arrows out but they were so embedded in the stone she wasn't strong enough. "Ahhh! Damn it!" Damon cried in pain. His eyes never left me though. He was watching my every move to make sure I was okay in handling what was left of the creatures. "Bonnie. You have to keep fighting. Help Elena…please!" Damon urged Bonnie to leave him. She got up and rejoined the fight while Damon kept trying to free himself.

We were putting up a good defense for so long, but it finally started to become too much. I saw two of the creatures heading towards Damon. He was still trapped and defenseless. "No! Hey! Over here!" I yelled at the Demons approaching Damon but they kept moving towards him. "Damon you have to get free! Come on!"

"Elena just keep fighting, don't worry about me! I love you…keep fighting!"

Just when all hope seemed lost, a blade flew through the air striking both Demons through the neck. Damon looked over at the cave entrance to see Varro standing there. "I know you said you didn't need my help but…"

"Varro, thank you for not listening to our cocky asses." Damon said with a smile before Varro ran over to pull out the arrows. "Ow! Damn those hurt like hell."

With the added reinforcement of Varro the last few Shadow Demons cowered and disappeared into the woods. I drew my attention to Damon. I ran to his side and knelt beside him. He was leaning up against the cave wall.

"Damon, oh my god, are you okay?" I said while checking his injuries. He was already starting to heal. I was running my fingers through his hair. "I thought you were a goner." I had tears of relief flowing from my eyes as I kissed him.

"I'm fine." He said softly. "You were amazing back there. Definitely lived up to your reputation."

"I'm glad you are so proud." I kissed him again before helping him up. "Varro, thank you so much. I don't know what we would have done if you weren't here."

"Like I said before, I owe you three everything. Now lets get you to that stone circle before those last few creatures come back."

We made our way towards the circle. It was dark and the remaining Demons could return at any moment. I could see it in the distance. "There it is!"

We approached the circle and paused just outside of it. "So how does this work?" Damon asked me.

"The witches said as soon as we bring the Amulet into the circle it should activate the return spell."

"Why isn't anything happening?" Bonnie asked. "Maybe it takes some time to begin."

Just as Bonnie said her last word I felt pain shoot through my body. I looked down to find two arrows in me…one that just missed my heart and one in my stomach.

"Elena!" Damon was at my side.

"They're back!" Bonnie called out. "What do we do, we are sitting ducks in here!"

"We can't leave the circle, what if the spell starts!" Damon cried out while dodging more arrows that were shot into the circle.

"Don't worry!" Varro called out to us. "I can take care of them!" He made quick use of his blade and was able to kill the remaining creatures. Shadow Demons should now be officially extinct.

My blood poured out onto one of the stones. The wind suddenly picked up and the stones started to shake. Damon was about to pull the first arrow from my chest when I realized what was happening. "Wait!" I said.

"What? Elena I need to get these out of you, come on!"

"It's my blood. It must be finally activating the spell." My doppelganger blood had many purposes and there was a good chance this spell needed it as well. "I can't heal yet. Leave them in until we get back home. I'll heal then."

Damon looked unhappy but before he could argue anymore, the portal was opening. It was the same swirling motion that I saw when I was laying on the altar for the sacrifice that first brought me here. I was starting to drift off into unconsciousness when everything stopped. The wind and the swirling scenery, but the pain was still there.

I was back in the crypt with Damon and Bonnie. It worked. We all made it back home. Something felt different though, I felt different.

"Elena!" Damon crawled over to me and I realized the arrows were still in my body. He carefully pulled them out. "AHHHHHH!" I screamed so loud that it could wake the dead in the cemetery.

Damon cringed at my screams, "Sorry Elena, but I had to get those out so you can heal…" he stopped short with a concerned look on his face.

"D-Damon? What's wrong? I feel strange. The pain isn't going away.

Damon was examining my wounds but they weren't healing. Why wasn't I healing? "It h-hurts Damon! It still hurts!"

"No, no, this isn't possible." Damon said with fear laced in his voice. "Bonnie she's human! She's human Bonnie, and she's not healing!"

"Feed her your blood Damon!" Bonnie urgently yelled back. I was starting to drift off. Damon tried to bite into his own wrist but nothing happened. His eyes panicked and his voice followed suit.

"I can't! I'm human too."

**The Crypt, Outside New Orleans**

**Damon POV**

The love of my life was bleeding out in front of me and there wasn't a goddamn thing I could do to stop it. We were both human now, how the hell did that even happen?

"Elena, Elena stay with me okay? Stay with me." I spoke softly to her as she was drifting off into unconsciousness. I was applying pressure to both wounds but it wasn't enough. I was losing her. "ELENA!"

I didn't know what to do. The seconds were ticking by as Elena inched closer to death…real HUMAN death.

"Damon, what do we do?" Bonnie was crying. "SOMEBODY HELP US!" She was yelling now hoping that someone, anyone in the vicinity would hear her.

"We need to find a vampire that can heal her. Bonnie you need to…"

"Elena?" an old woman's voice came out of the dark.

"Are you Margaret?" Damon asked. "You know what, I don't care, whoever you are we need help. My girlfriend is dying and we need vampire blood to heal her."

"Her friends should be nearby. Their motel isn't far from here." The old woman replied. "It's right up the road."

"Bonnie you have to go! Get Stefan, Ric, or Caroline, or whoever you can! Go!" The urgency in my voice made her sprint out at super speed. "Please hang on Elena. You are going to be fine."

"D-Damon?" her weak voice tried to speak.

"Shh, Shh don't talk. Save your strength."

"We are both human?" she continued.

"Yeah we are. How ironic is that?" I joked with her even now. "You wanted to be human together, grow old together. Well now we can if that's still what you want."

She smiled back at me then, too weak to even talk.

"You just have to hang on baby so we can, okay?" I urged her to stay with me but I could feel her fading. I kissed her lips as I held the pressure tight on her wounds with my hands. I don't know how much longer she was going to last.

**The Motel**

Bonnie reached the hotel within minutes. It really was right up the road. There were no more than 10 rooms but she didn't have time to knock on all the doors. She just started shouting, "JEREMY! JEREMY!"

Jeremy heard her voice coming from outside and froze. It was Bonnie! It was her voice! He leapt off the bed and opened the door to find her standing there in tears. "BONNIE?!" he ran full tilt and embraced his long lost love.

"Bonnie your back! It worked! Elena brought you guys back!"

"She did Jer." Bonnie was a mix of so many emotions. She was deliriously happy that she was back with Jeremy but terrified that Elena was dying back at the crypt. "We need your help though. Something happened when we came back. Elena's hurt and she and Damon and are both…human. We need vampire blood and fast."

"Elena's hurt?" Jeremy ran to Alaric's room and banged on the door. "Ric! Ric! Wake up man!"

Ric opened the door. "What is it Jeremy?"

"You need to get to the cemetery right away, there's no time to explain."

With that Ric sped off down the road and in a matter of seconds was in the crypt. The sight of his newly resurrected friend brought him joy that was short-lived when he saw the desperate look on Damon's face as he looked down at Elena.

"Ric, thank god. She needs your blood. Now."

"Good to see you too buddy." Alaric said before biting into his wrist to let the vampire blood flow. He brought it to Elena's lips.

"We'll hug it out when Elena is alive and well, okay?" Damon said anxiously. He took his hands away from her wounds and they had stopped bleeding which was a good sign. Elena was still unconscious but it seemed to be working. His hands moved to her face, stroking her hair and her cheek, willing her to come back. "Come on Elena, wake up."

Caroline and Jeremy eventually made it to the crypt. Elena was still unconscious on the floor and Margaret was still in the room as well. "Oh my god." Caroline said walking in. "What happened?"

"Elena was shot right before we returned. We needed her blood for the spell so she insisted to wait to heal until we got back. Enter the complication that when we came back through, we turned…human." Damon explained, still stroking Elena's head.

"Any previous magic has been undone and turned you back to your original forms." Margaret explained.

"That means I'm a witch again?" Bonnie asked hopefully.

"Yes dear, you are." Margaret said back. "It's an honor to meet a Bennett Witch in the flesh."

The conversation was interrupted by Elena taking in a gasp of air. "Elena?" Damon said helping her sit up. "How do you feel?"

"I'm better I think. I feel…healed. Are we… really back? All of us?" Elena said hopefully.

"We are. Thanks to you." Damon smiled and kissed her deeply. After their lips parted he helped her to her feet and everyone was embracing as they were all reunited. Elena's thoughts went to Margaret. She pulled Damon aside. "Hey give me one second, I'm going to talk to Margaret."

"I want to come with you, if that's okay." Damon asked.

"Of course it is. If I have my way you will never leave my side again." Elena said with a smile.

They walked hand in hand over to Margaret who was lighting some candles in the corner. "Margaret?" Elena started, "I just wanted to thank you for all of your help and also…tell you that your brother…"

Margaret's eyes widened with hope and excitement. "He was there wasn't he? You saw him?"

"We more than saw him Ma'am," Damon explained. "He was our friend and he helped and saved us many times over."

"He is happy Margaret. He has a life and a family and he wanted us to tell you that. So you can finally be at peace with what happened to him all those years ago."

Margaret was crying now. "Oh thank you dear. Thank you so much." She hugged Elena before leaving the crypt to find her sisters. She wanted to tell them the news of their brother no doubt.

"So," Elena turned to Damon and he put his arms around her waist. "We are both human now." Damon looked down and wouldn't meet her eyes. "Are you okay with this?"

Damon looked up at Elena. "I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. But I do know that I am back. We are together and happy and safe. That's all that matters to me right now. We can talk about the H word later." He pulled her into another kiss before Ric interrupted.

"Are you guys ready to blow this pop stand and head back to civilization? The Mikaelson's have invited us to a party in honor of your return. Caroline already notified Klaus of your success."

"Does he know Elena's human again?" Damon asked concerned.

"Yes, but he can be trusted now Damon. He has more important concerns than making hybrids. He has a daughter on the way and he has…changed." Caroline said.

"I hope your right blondie." Damon said back. "Alright lets go. I could use a good party."

**That's it for a few days guys. I'll be going away for the 4****th**** of July weekend so I will post the next chapter early next week. Sorry for the wait! SO…Elena and Damon are human! Are they both going to stay that way? Can Klaus really be trusted? Bonnie is a witch again! Will they ever be able to rid Mystic Falls of the Traveler curse?** **All will be revealed **** Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8: Ballroom Blitz

**Sorry for the long wait guys! 4****th**** of July weekend! This chapter will start to somewhat coincide with the actual events of The Originals last two episodes. I think I am going to keep going with this story past the original 10 chapter mark. **

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 8 – Ballroom Blitz**

**New Orleans**

**Elena POV**

The Mikaelson's party was in a few hours, and Caroline had just brought over some of the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen. Damon went out for a walk with Alaric and I hope that he is doing okay with this whole human thing. I was worried about him, but glad that he had his friend with him. Caroline laid out all the dresses on the bed and we looked at them in awe.

"Wow Caroline, these are gorgeous." I said gazing at the beauty before me. "Where did you get these?"

"Klaus had them brought them over." Caroline said blushing.

"So, what's going on there Care?" I asked with a smile.

"I don't know, Elena." Caroline said looking slightly embarrassed. "There is just something about him that drives me crazy…in a good way. I know he has done so many awful things but to me he is just so sweet, and caring. I know he would do anything for me."

Everything Caroline was saying reminded me so much of how I felt about Damon for so long. I could tell how conflicted she was and felt for her so much.

"Caroline, there is something that Stefan told me before all of this craziness went down. He reminded me that vampires are a toxic species and that when it comes to complicated histories and pasts…you get a pass." I told her as my thoughts went to Stefan, wondering where is was. I hope that he was okay too.

"Wise words from a great guy." Caroline said. "I heard from him today. He is on his way here as we speak."

"He is? That's great!" I was happy to hear that Stefan was coming back. He had to deal with Damon's death in his own way and I understood that, but I still can't believe that he left the way he did. Especially when it seemed like there might be something starting between him and Caroline.

"As far as Klaus goes, just follow your heart Caroline. Regardless of what other people say or think. That's what I did and I have never been happier." I told her with a smile. "You will get no judgments from me."

"Thanks Elena." Caroline hugged me tight. "I am so sorry about how I acted with you and Damon. Can you forgive me?"

"Caroline, there is nothing to forgive, okay? Now lets get all glamorous for our bad boys."

Caroline laughed, "Alright lets!"

We tried on the dresses until we both decided on two that made us look absolutely stunning. Caroline's was a strapless purple ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and mine was a blue lace mermaid cut dress with a halter-top that accentuated my bust line. I knew it would remind Damon of my dress from the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, and he would absolutely love it. We helped each other with hair and makeup until we were party ready. The event was about to start and I wondered if Damon had returned yet. I went to Alaric's room to look for him.

I knocked on the door first. "Ric? Hey it's Elena. Is Damon there?"

The hotel room door opened to reveal the most handsome man in the universe. Damon stood there in a full tuxedo, his hair raven black, skin flawless, and eyes electric blue. This man was mine, and the way he looked back at me made me melt. His gaze was one of complete and utter love and adoration. He smiled at me with his 1,000 watt grin. "You look absolutely stunning," he said.

"Why thank you, handsome. So do you." I said back kissing him on the lips.

"You ready to party? "

"I am ready to celebrate with my newly returned boyfriend and best friend."

"And my newly returning brother Stefan will be there too I heard." Damon looked happy that his brother would be coming.

"He took losing you just as hard as me I think. Stefan really does love you Damon."

"I know he does. It didn't take me dying to know it either. I've always known that he loved me Elena. I'm looking forward to a new beginning for us. For all of us." Damon said and brought my hand to his lips. He kissed my hand before giving me his arm to escort me to the elevator. "Shall we my princess?"

"We shall."

We walked arm in arm to the elevator and walked down Bourbon Street to the Mikaelson compound. We approached the front gate and heard the jazz flowing and the guests roaring. This should be a great night.

**The Mikaelson Party**

**Damon POV**

Elena and I walked into the party like we were walking onto a yacht. We were the most handsome couple there and the only thing that was bringing me down was the fact that now we wouldn't stay this handsome for eternity anymore…unless we both decided to turn again. There were so many things to consider but they could definitely be addresses another night.

"Damon Salvatore, so glad that you have now been returned to the land of the living. In more ways than one I've been told." Klaus welcomes us to the party. "And Elena Gilbert, the brave girl who risked everything for the man she loves. Congratulations on your reunion."

"Thank you Klaus." Elena said while she curtsied.

I didn't want to offend our guest but still felt my overprotective nature over Elena coming to the surface. I couldn't help myself. "Yes Klaus, thank you. And I'm sure that history won't be repeating itself where Elena is concerned now that she is human again. Am I correct to assume that you have bigger and better things to worry about now?"

"Always the protector, Damon." Klaus said smugly. "You have nothing to worry about my dear. Hybrids are no longer a priority of mine. I have a daughter on the way and a blond vampire to attend to so please don't worry and excuse me." He said while nodding and heading over to Caroline who just walked through the door looking gorgeous. Bonnie and Jeremy were right behind her.

"See Damon, we have nothing to worry about with Klaus." Elena said to me, trying to reassure me. I will never fully trust Klaus but I do believe that he is trying to make amends with his own family and move on. "Come on," she said breaking me out of my thoughts, "lets dance. It's tradition."

I smiled and guided her to the dance floor. The band began playing a romantic Jazz standard. We faced each other and I circled my arm around her waist. We joined hands and just started into each other's eyes. Dancing is where it all began for us. The moment I know she really saw me as something other than a monster and felt the true power of our chemistry. The moment when she told me she first realized she fell in love with me. I loved her even before that. When she begged me to leave the tomb after Katherine wasn't there I realized that the future I saw when I first laid eyes on her could really happen. That someone out there really thought I was worth saving. It seemed fitting that the thing I planned on doing later that night happen right now.

"Elena, there is something I want you to know." I spoke softly during our dance so only she could hear me. "A long time ago I told you something but it wasn't you that heard it. "

Elena looked at me, "Katherine?" She asked while looking at me.

I nodded before continuing. "I came to Mystic Falls wanting to destroy it. So many times since I have found myself wanting to protect it, and to protect you. Somewhere along the way you were the one person who decided that I was worth saving…and worth loving. I want to thank you for that, Elena."

Elena kissed me deeply. "You were lost Damon. From the second you turned your life had been nothing but pain and torture and disappointment. That little spark of humanity you had left I could see in your eyes and I am so thankful that it wasn't gone for good."

"You were the one that ignited that spark Elena. It lit a fire that started raging in my soul and my love for you, stayed true though everything. Even when I thought you would never choose me, my love for you kept my humanity intact." We continued to dance close and I knew it was now or never. "I can't imagine living my life without you. I know you had to live without me and I am so sorry for breaking my promise and leaving you. I never want to leave you again and I hope that whether it's a human life, or a vampire life that you want to spend it with me."

It was then that I got down on one knee in the middle of the dance floor and pulled out the ring that Alaric and I went shopping for earlier that day. "Elena Gilbert, you are the love of my life. Would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

Elena looked at me through teary eyes. I was terrified that maybe she wouldn't be willing to make such a huge commitment to me after all of my spirals and impulsive actions that she has witnessed over the years.

"Damon Salvatore there is no greater honor. YES! YES! YES!" She yelled with delight as I slipped the ring on her finger. Jeremy, Bonnie, and Caroline were all clapping and smiling at us along with all of the other guests at the party. I didn't realize it would be such a huge spectacle but I'm glad that Elena looked happy and that I could now call her my future wife. We kissed and embraced for several moments before realizing who just walked in the front door. It was Stefan. He walked up to us with a small smile on his face.

"Congratulations brother." Stefan said as he gave me a hug. "And welcome back."

"Thanks Stef." I said back to him.

"Elena, I am so happy for you and my brother. Thank you so much for bringing him back. I'm sorry I wasn't any help. I just..."

"Stefan it's okay," Elena interrupted him. "You don't have to explain. You are here now."

Caroline and Klaus were dancing in the center of the dance floor when Stefan noticed them. "Did I miss something with those two?"

"Nothing yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if Caroline finally gives into her dark side and gives him a chance," Elena told Stefan.

He looked a little disappointed, but not surprised. He knew that by leaving he would risk losing the potential of a relationship with Caroline. At one point it seemed really promising but now it appeared that Stefan might have lost his window. He looked happy though; maybe he was just happy to be back with all of us.

"Come on brother, let's have a drink." I said to him to change the subject. I kissed Elena, and Stefan and I walked over to the bar.

"So," I started talking first. "Where did you go?"

"I traveled all over the world." Stefan began explaining to me his escapades over the last 4 months. "I didn't know what else to do Damon. Everyone was telling us that you were gone forever. Elena was a complete wreck and I just couldn't stand seeing her like that. I didn't know how to comfort her either and to be honest…it was just too hard to see her like that over losing you when I saw her reaction to me was…"

That's what it was about. When Elena and I returned to Whitmore to find his dead body, Elena's reaction was full of shock, but not of the same sadness and despair she displayed over my death. I felt for Stefan, and understood how painful that must have been for him. "Stefan…"

"It's okay Damon. I know things change. I was just expecting a little more from her, that's all. The only one who seemed to really be affected by it was Caroline and, it looks like I let that go too."

I didn't know what to say to make my brother feel better. I had just become engaged to the former love of his life and he has returned to realize that his other potential epic love has moved on with another bad boy. What are you supposed to say?

"Stefan, you are a vampire with an eternity ahead of you. We have seen how much things can change for the better and for the worse. This is our chance for a new beginning. We can be brothers again, and who knows what or who is waiting for you out there. The important thing is that we still have each other."

"That speech coming from you Damon is just so strange," Stefan said with a smile.

"What? I'm not allowed to have insightful brotherly moments?" I said back.

"No, I'm glad you are happy and can have that view of the world now brother. I couldn't be happier for you."

With that Stefan hugged me again and it was the definite start of a new beginning for us. "I'm going to go outside and get some air. I'll see you later."

He walked away and I looked to see if I could find Elena in the crowd but I couldn't. She must be with Bonnie and Jeremy somewhere. Suddenly, the music stopped and the party became a lot more crowded. The Mikaelson ballroom was soon filled with what looked like two different groups, one looked like they arrived straight from the bayou, and the other looked like a group of young rebellious teenagers. At this point I couldn't see anybody, only this new group of mystery people who clearly were not invited to the party. I desperately tried to locate Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, and Jeremy. Hopefully Stefan was still outside in case things went bad.

Suddenly, they did. It was mayhem all around me. Vampires attacking vampires, and what I could only guess were werewolves attacking everyone. Elijah was calling for Klaus and someone named Marcel. He was like a caged animal going berserk on the intruders. My new human form was a huge disadvantage to me right now and for the first time in 150 years I felt extremely vulnerable. I had to find Elena and get the hell out of here.

"Elena!" I called out over the sound of the battle before me. There was no reply so I tried to get to higher ground. The vampires and wolves seemed only interested in fighting each other so hopefully Elena and everyone else was able to get out. I made it to the staircase and climbed it to get a better view. There was still no sign of anybody. I started checking the rooms upstairs in hopes that maybe they were hiding out in one of them. I opened a room to find a terrified Hayley cowered in one of the corners.

"Hey wolf girl, have you seen Elena?" I asked her.

"What the hell is going on down there Damon? Did you see Elijah?" she asked nervously.

"I have no idea but it's carnage down there. Elijah is one original badass though. He is making quick work of those vampires and wolves." I told her to hopefully ease her worry.

"I haven't seen her Damon but if I were you I would get out of here as fast as you can. Things are not going to end well for me. The witches are after me and the baby."

"Does Klaus know? Where is he?"

"He is off dealing with Marcel. Please Damon, go! Find Elena!" Hayley yelled at me.

I headed out of the room and looked back down into the courtyard to find the battle already over. Elijah stood in the middle surrounded by dead or dying wolves and vampires. I ran down the stairs as fast as humanly possible.

"Elijah! Have you seen Elena or my brother?" I asked him but he seemed out of it. He had been bitten by a werewolf but would surely survive. The more time that went by without me finding any of my loved ones the more scared I got.

"Damon!" It was Elena's voice. I turned to find Caroline, Jeremy, Bonnie, and Elena all safe and sound. Elena was running into my arms. "Damon, thank god. I couldn't find you and I was so scared."

"Likewise, princess." I told her while hugging her tightly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Klaus made sure that we were all safe before running off to face Marcel. We couldn't find you and Stefan in time." She wasn't letting me go. Stefan was walking through the front door.

"What the hell happened here?" Stefan asked.

"I don't know, but I vote we get the hell out of New Orleans and head back to wherever it is that you guys have called home the last 4 months. What do you say?" I asked the group.

"I agree, lets go home," Bonnie agreed. Jeremy nodded in agreement next to her.

"HAYLEY!" Elijah's voice rang through the compound. He emerged from the upstairs area and looked pissed. "Marcel! Where is she?!"

We hadn't even noticed that Marcel had returned to the compound. Elijah moved towards him and grabbed him by the neck. "Where is she Marcel?"

"The witches must have taken her."

We had all decided to return home but I had a feeling that our plans might be delayed for just a little bit longer.

**Thanks for reading! Will the Mystic Falls gang be able to help Klaus and Elijah get Hayley and the baby back? Can they reclaim their home in Mystic Falls? Will Caroline come home or stay with Klaus? Stay tuned and please review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Hope

**Though Lovers Be Lost**

**Chapter 9 - Hope**

**Thanks for the new follows/favs! I took a few liberties with the actual ending of The Originals. Hope you guys don't mind.**

**New Orleans**

**Damon POV**

We were searching the streets of New Orleans for Hayley and the witches. We had split up into groups for the search. Elena and I stuck together while Klaus and Elijah split up. Bonnie and Jeremy, and Stefan and Caroline were also out looking. Alaric didn't come to the party but joined us in our search. The plan was to meet back up at the square for a check in to see if anybody had found anything. Everyone had made it back except Klaus.

"Where the hell is he?" I asked. Maybe he had actually found them but needed our help. I turned to Elijah, "I think we should all go together to the area Klaus was searching. Maybe he found them but needs our help. Those witches can be a real pain in the ass."

"Agreed." Elijah replied. He was shaky and out of it. It must be the effects of the werewolf venom on an Original. "He went to the church first, let's go."

We all made our way to the church and Elijah burst through the door calling Hayley's name. I didn't realize what a deep bond they formed over that last 9 months. Elijah was so worried about her and it was obvious that he loved her very much. What we saw next tore my heart out. Sitting against the altar of the sanctuary was Klaus. He was holding a dead Hayley in his arms. I don't know what exactly happened here but it looked like we were too late.

Elijah looked at them and froze. "No…no." Elijah whispered, barely audible. He started stumbling towards them and Elena and I stayed back by the door. I held Elena close as we watched the scene before us. It's something that we had all too recently experienced ourselves. The loss and separation of our other half, the death of a soul mate. Caroline looked at Klaus with pain in her eyes, realizing his child had just been ripped from his arms. She wanted to run to him and comfort him but knew it wasn't the time.

"Oh Damon, poor Elijah." Elena said crying. "And where is the baby? They must have taken the baby!"

"We will help them get her back."

Elena and I started to approach the brothers now. Klaus had given Elijah his blood and he was beginning to come back to reality. Elijah asked him how this happened, but Klaus had no answers for him, only that there was still time to save the baby.

"We will help you with whatever you need." I said to Klaus and Elijah.

"We all will." Stefan chimed in after me.

"We need to go to the cemetery," Klaus said, "That is surely where they took her to perform the sacrifice spell to complete the Harvest."

"We must hurry!" Elijah said as he led the way out of the church. We were heading directly for the cemetery in hopes of finding the baby still alive, and the witches not too powerful.

"Brother?" Stefan spoke as we were walking. "Are you sure you are up for this? You and Elena aren't vampires anymore and don't have the same invincible powers as before. This could be dangerous for you guys."

I never even thought about that. I was so used to be an all-powerful vampire that the thought didn't even cross my mind. Elena just got me back and we just got engaged, I didn't want to jeopardize any of that.

"When we get there, we will lay low with Jeremy and let the vampires handle the action. And remember, Bonnie is a witch again and might be able to help neutralize the other witches." I told him and looked at Elena.

"We only jump in if you guys absolutely need us. I just got Damon back and I am not losing him again." Elena grabbed my hand and squeezed.

"You will never lose me again, future Mrs. Salvatore." I said back with a grin.

"Oh my god guys, I'm gonna barf!" Alaric said jokingly with a smile.

"It's two Originals, two vampires, and a witch against a bunch of New Orleans yahoos. How hard can it really be? Damon, we got this covered." Stefan was confident in his words, and I only hoped that he was right. We kept walking and searching.

Too much time had gone by and it seemed like we were going in circles. The witches must have put up some kind of cloaking spell to hide them and the baby.

"They aren't here!" Elijah cried. He was angry and blamed Klaus for the events of the evening. Especially for Hayley's death. "I needed her and you took her from me.

You have broken me." He was crying now and it was so hard to see such a strong vampire so hurt and broken.

"You can tell your niece how much you cared for her mother when we find her." Klaus told Elijah. "We need to work harder."

"Or smarter…" A voice came from behind us. To our astonishment it was Hayley. She must have died with the baby's blood still in her system.

"Hayley." Elijah stood in shock. His love was alive and well right in front of us. He walked towards her and took her face in his hands. "How are you here?"

She woke up in the church and felt the craving for blood. "I can feel her. This way." She was almost zombie-like but her resolve to find her missing child drove her forward. We all followed and turned the corner to find the Mickaelson baby on an altar with a dagger held right about her. Genevieve was holding the dagger while the other younger girls watched.

"NO!" Hayley screamed as she ran towards the baby as Elijah threw an urn at Genevieve. It slammed her against the wall and she dropped the knife.

"Stay here!" Stefan yelled at us as he and everyone else ran towards the witches as we stayed back and watched. I felt so helpless as a human, relegated to the sidelines as my brother and friends played the heroes. The witches were way more powerful than I anticipated. Within seconds everyone was thrown backwards against the surrounding walls. They weren't just facing three witches; they were facing all of the elders and witches that had passed on. Just as they all got up they were back on the ground again in pain.

"Damon, are we just going to sit back and watch all of our friends die in front of us?" Elena asked in a worried voice.

"No way but I'm not sure how much good we are going to do them. Still…you are right. Let's get our fight on. You ready to kick some witchy ass?"

Just as I said that Bonnie started chanting something to help distract the younger witches. Klaus threw part of a fence into the first young witch, pinning her to the wall. It broke the connection to the elders and everyone was on their feet again. "Wait!" I told Jeremy and Elena, "It looks like they are okay." We decided to stay laying low.

Monique, the youngest witch picked up the knife and held it above the baby. Before she could finish the job she was impaled with a Japanese flying star. It was Klaus' friend Marcel. He sped to the baby and picked her up and put her safely in his mother's arms. Seeing the baby was safe, Klaus proceeded to grab Genevieve and take her to one of the crypts for questioning. Caroline followed him, eager to torture some answers out of her.

Stefan and Bonnie came running back to us. "Nice job on those witches! Your hero hair looks amazing Stefan." I said clapping him on the back.

"Thanks for staying out of the way guys. I know that was probably hard." Stefan said.

"We were two seconds away from jumping in there to help you guys but, Bonnie the teenage witch jumped in to save the day…you didn't need us."

Bonnie hugged Jeremy and smiled. "It feels so great to be a witch again." She looked so happy and content with herself.

"I wish we could say the same about being human again." I said and looked at Elena. She wasn't even listening; her attention was on Hayley and the baby. Hayley was holding her daughter with a look of pure joy and love on her face. Elena was unconsciously smiling and I realized something in that moment. The dreams for the future that Elena, and even I once had, could still be a possibility for us now. I stood next to Elena and put my arm around her. "Maybe there are some advantages to being human again."

She looked up at me with a hopeful smile. "Really? You would consider having one of…those?"

Alaric laughed and couldn't help himself. "My idiot best friend? A Dad? I would love to see that!"

"With you I would consider anything. Our future is wide open, baby." I leaned down to kiss her and for the first time in a long time I felt something strong and positive overtaking everything. It was what I found out Klaus and Hayley named their baby. It was hope.

**The Next Day**

**Elena POV**

As we were waiting to depart New Orleans for the lake house, I just took a moment to reflect on everything that has happened the past 4 months. If I had my diary I would write this in it, but I don't so it is just me and my thoughts floating away into the open air. I went from the deepest despair to greatest hope for the future and I never thought this day would come. Damon went from being lost to me forever to my future husband. I went from a vampire that could never have children to a human who could potentially start a family with the man that I love. Damn, our children will be beautiful. The only thing left is to try and somehow reclaim our home in Mystic Falls. This is the last remaining challenge of a series of ridiculous obstacles that have been placed between all of us and true happiness.

"You ready to go Elena?"

Damon entered our hotel room with a smile. I remember when a smile from Damon was something you would rarely see. Now I see it all the time and it's the most glorious thing in my life. "I'm so ready," I told him.

"Stefan and Alaric want to stop by the Mikaelson's to say goodbye. You cool with that?"

I wouldn't have Damon back if it weren't for Klaus' help, so saying goodbye to the Original family was a pleasure. "Alright, lets go."

We walked back into the massive compound to find a not-so-shocking surprise. Caroline was standing next to Klaus and he seemed to have his arm around her. The next thing we saw was a sweet kiss that he planted on the side of her head. She looked up at him with a smile and it was clear to me that she had finally made her choice. She was going with the bad boy…the really, really, bad boy. Klaus then addressed us all.

"We can't thank you enough for helping us find Hayley and the baby. We couldn't have done it without you. From now on if you need anything, you will be treated and looked upon as family." Klaus and Caroline both smiled, appearing content and happy.

"Yes, we can't thank you enough." Elijah said. He was standing next to Hayley and the baby. Hayley was a hybrid now, and could spend her eternal life with Elijah. "But there is something that we can offer you in return for your help."

Marcel dragged Genevieve out from another room. Klaus spoke again. "I understand that your home has been taken away from you by an anti-magic spell. Genevieve here says that she and the elders should be able to break it. You can take her with you."

"Can we trust her?" Bonnie asked.

"The elders want this spell to be broken and only way she can get back into their good graces is by breaking it so yes, you can trust her."

The last piece of the puzzle was finally coming together. We had a way to go home again. "Thank you so much," I said. I can't believe we have gone from Klaus trying to kill me in a sacrifice to him helping us get Damon back and giving us the key to returning to Mystic Falls. We have come so far.

"Elena can I talk to you?" Caroline pulled me aside and I already knew what she was going to say.

"You aren't coming back with us are you?" I said to her first with a smile.

She smiled back at me. "What you said, about just listening to my heart and not worrying about what other people think. Thank you for that. And this is going to sound really strange but…thank you for loving Damon. It's because of your courage in giving him a chance and seeing how happy you two are that I had the strength to go after what and who I really want. So thank you, Elena."

We embraced tightly. "You are welcome Caroline. I am so proud of you but I will miss you so much!"

"I will miss you guys too, and my Mom. And Stefan. How is he?"

"He will be fine. He understands and wants you to be happy. One day he will meet someone knew and fall madly in love and will have moved on without even realizing it." I said.

"It's funny," Caroline said with a smile, "I said almost that exact same thing to him awhile ago. I hope you are right."

"Me too. Goodbye Care. I love you."

"Goodbye Elena. I'll be looking for that wedding invite sooner rather than later!"

"Just an invite? Are you kidding me? You are my planner!"

We laughed and hugged again before leaving. Alaric had Genevieve in some pretty heavy restraints and her mouth was covered so she couldn't try any headache inducing incantations. "Alright gang, it's time to go home."

We all piled into Alaric's car. Stefan said, "We aren't going home quite yet, but we are one step closer."

Damon put his arm around me in the car and said softly, "Home is wherever you are, Elena Gilbert."

Damon Salvatore, the complete softy. Who knew? I kissed him back and just replied with, "Same."

**Thanks for reading! Will Genevieve's spell really help them reclaim Mystic Falls? Will Damon and Elena get to return to "Their Room"? Stay tuned and please review so I know who is still out there reading this thing. Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10: Home Again

**Hey guys! So the summer is winding down and getting busier so this story will be wrapped up between this and the next chapter. It's been such a joy for me to write and thank you for all the follows and reviews! There might be a little beyond "Rated Teen" in this chapter so I apologize.**

**Though Lovers Be Lost **

**Chapter 10 – Home Again**

**Gilbert Lake House**

**Elena POV**

The dark winding road that led to my family lake house seemed extra long tonight. All I wanted to do was get there and curl up into Damon's arms and go to sleep. Between our crazy adventure in the Nether World and the crazy battle in New Orleans I was ready for a pause in the insanity that was our lives. I remember the last time we were here I was so in love with Damon but he couldn't believe it. That stupid sire bond messed with his mind so bad that he couldn't believe that my feelings for him were real. Now there was no doubt. I had followed him into death to get him back and now here we were, curled up against each other in the back seat of Alaric's car.

"Are we there yet?" Damon joked with a coy smile. I looked up at him and smiled back before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Just about." I replied and laid my head back on his shoulder.

Genevieve was tied up and gagged in the front seat and Stefan, Jeremy, and Bonnie were in the car behind us. Genevieve had promised to help us reclaim our home in Mystic Falls by removing the anti-magic spell the travelers had placed there. Apparently the elders weren't too keen on the spell and this was one of the keys to her salvation after failing to kill Hope Mikaelson.

The house was finally in sight and we pulled up the long driveway. "It's late," Alaric said as he out the car in park. "We should all get some rest and figure out our next move in the morning."

"Couldn't agree with you more buddy," Damon said getting out of the car first. Damon grabbed the one bag we had of stuff we acquired in our brief stay in New Orleans. "You ready to head inside, baby?'

I smiled at him and shook my head and then followed him upstairs to our room. He placed the bag down on top of the dresser and I sat down on the bed to take off my shoes. Damon turned to face me. "Well, I guess camp nowhere is as close to home as we are gonna get right now."

"We will get the Boarding House back Damon," I said to him as I stood up and walked towards him. "That is our home. It's where we made our life together during those summer months of bliss before I left for college and it all started going to hell. We are getting that back, just like I got you back." I held his face in my hands and looked into his electric blue eyes. He scooped me up into his arms and started leading me towards the bed.

"Your confidence is impressive Mrs. Salvatore." Damon lowered me onto the bed and laid down beside me.

"Wait a minute, what did you just call me?"

"Mrs. Salvatore. You better start getting used to that name because it is your future. Elena Salvatore." Damon playfully teased me while planting sweet kisses all over my body.

"I really like the sound of that."

"You do huh?"

"I do." I kissed my future husband back with fierce intensity. I would marry him right here, right now. I didn't need a big elaborate event; I just wanted to be joined with him forever. I tore his shirt off as I have so many times before and we sank deeper into the throws of passion. We were two beings, **human **beings, joining together for the first time like this. I felt him inside me and knew of the possibilities that were before us now. We could have a family, our own children, and grow old together if we so desired.

"I love you so much Elena," Damon breathed as he was gently moving inside of me. He was on top of me and had my face in his hands, our eyes locked on each other both stuck in this glorious moment. I knew he was ready, and I softly whisper back my love for him. "I love you so much Damon."

With that he released inside of me, breathless and exhausted. Human sex was not something that Damon Salvatore was used to. He collapsed on top of me and I ran my fingers through his thick raven hair and up and down his smooth, muscular back.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, slightly worried at how tired and still he appeared.

"I'm perfect. Just trying to savor this moment before the next inevitable disaster comes our way."

"Don't think like that. Once the spell is out of Mystic Falls, there is nothing standing in the way of our future. Katherine is gone, the Travelers are dead, and the original family is happy and content with their own little kingdom."

"The last time I felt this much…hope was the night you told me that you were in love with me in front of our fireplace, and that you weren't sorry about it. That was such a good night. But I think this one beats it."

I couldn't help but agree with him on that one. Our relationship is rock solid, we are getting married, and laying peacefully together after making love. It doesn't get much better than this. We drifted off to sleep, ready to face whatever challenges faced us tomorrow.

**The Next Morning**

**Damon POV**

I woke up slowly with Elena in my arms. I looked at the clock and it was already 10:00am. Without vampire hearing it's a hell of a lot easier to sleep later. Elena was starting to stir. "Morning sleepyhead."

Elena looked up at me with adorable sleepy eyes. "What time is it?"

"Time to get our home back. Lets get downstairs and see what Alaric and Stefan are cooking up."

We got ready for the day quickly and headed downstairs to see where everyone else was. Bonnie and Jeremy were sitting on the couch and Stefan and Alaric were standing on either side of Genevieve who was sitting in a chair. I spoke as we entered the room. "Are you sure it's a good idea to let her loose?" I asked seeing that Genevieve was untied.

"We all want the same thing." Stefan said somewhat reassuringly.

"I have no reason to betray your trust. I need this spell removed just as much as you do." Genevieve said, finally addressing the group.

"So what's the plan then?" I asked looking purposely at Alaric. I knew he would take charge like the father figure he was always meant to be.

"Genevieve should tell us. She can explain is better than I can. Go ahead." He nodded to Genevieve for her to start talking.

She looked at everyone in the room, their eyes fixed on her in anticipation. The look I gave was more of a warning. If she tried anything I would be the first to snap her witchy little neck. She finally started talking.

"First let me say that this spell is one of the biggest spells ever to be cast. I mean, a spell to end all magic is not going to be easy to undo. The only saving grace is that it stopped before spreading too far beyond Mystic Falls. The elders gave me the instructions and what we will need. First, Bonnie will have to help me. It's fortunate that she is a witch again because the strength of the Bennett line is exactly what we need for this." She paused for a second causing me to worry about what came next.

"And? What else is needed for his crazy spell?" I asked to urge her to keep going.

She slowly exhaled before continuing, "The original spell needed a large amount of blood from both doppelgangers. Unfortunately, we will need that again."

Everyone was silent and still. Of course she needed their blood. Elena and my poor brother were never going to be free from this curse as long as they live. She nearly died to get us back here at the stone circle and the fear of losing her again coursed through my veins. Alaric was the first to state the obvious.

"Well taking a large amount of blood from them is a bit of a problem now isn't it? Elena is human. She won't be able to heal as she did before."

Alaric was right. Stefan had nothing to worry about, but Elena, it was a huge risk for her. One I knew she would be willing to take. "What if she changes back into a vampire first?" It was the voice of little Gilbert, the voice of reason.

"She could do that but it is her choice. The spell will work all the same." Genevieve sat quietly while the rest of us looked at each other to see who would talk first.

"Damon, can I have a word? Alone." Elena asked breaking the silence. We walked out onto the deck to have a "private" conversation, although I knew the two vampires in the house would hear our every word. I let her speak first, I knew what I wanted but had to let her talk.

"Damon, I had a feeling this was going to happen. That she would need my blood for this spell and that this…" she broke off and started crying.

"Hey, hey, baby it's okay." I held her and tried to comfort her so she could finish. "Tell me."

"Ever since we came back…human, I have been doing a lot of thinking. Well not just thinking, I have also been dreaming. I dream of our wedding and of us having children. They have your beautiful blue eyes and my wide smile, and our gorgeous dark hair and they are running around the Boarding House laughing. Damon I'm not ready to let go of that. I thought we could have that part of our lives and then decide if we wanted to turn back into vampires and have our eternity together." She buried her head in my chest and I ran my fingers through her hair.

"You don't want to turn back yet." I said making sure I understood what she was trying to tell me.

"But I don't want to die either!" She said looking up at me. "But if I have to choose I think I want to take that risk. I want that dream, that life. I could always drink Alaric's blood to heal me as soon as Genevieve has enough blood."

I shifted uncomfortably knowing that once Elena makes a decision her mind is made up and there is no changing it. "Elena I understand why but what if something goes wrong? You came so far to get me back and now you want to risk it all over again? I would rather never step foot in Mystic Falls again than lose you." It was a feeble attempt to change her mind.

"Damon it's not just about getting our home back. What if more travelers show up and figure out how to restart the spell? We can't risk the spell starting again. I have to do this. And I need to do it as a human." Her voice was resolute as ever.

"Did you bring me out here to ask my permission or to help me understand why you would put your life at risk again when we finally have our whole future ahead of us?" I asked her realizing how angry I sounded and immediately regretted my tone.

"I just want you to understand how important the future I have in my mind is to me. I'm willing to risk everything for it. We have struggled enough; it's time for us to have our happy ending. In Mystic Falls with our friends and family."

I knew I had to accept this. Accept that what Elena Gilbert wanted was what Elena Gilbert got. I was terrified of losing her but had to trust in her instincts that she would be okay. I didn't do that before and she almost never forgave me for it, I won't make that same mistake again. It was time to tell her. "I do understand if you want to go through with this as a human. I want that life too, Elena. But you need to understand how freaking terrified I am right now. I won't lose you. Not now, not ever."

"I'm strong Damon. I can do this."

"I know how strong you are princess, I've seen you in action many times." I said finally breaking a small smile. "I don't like this but I understand."

We kissed again before walking hand in hand back to the main living room. Stefan and Alaric were pretending to not know what we had just discussed but Jeremy and Bonnie were still clueless. I knew it would be hard for Elena to say it herself so I answered for her. "We have decided that Elena will stay human for the spell."

Jeremy let out his frustration and disapproval and Alaric just looked down at the ground silently. Stefan look at Elena and asked her himself. "Elena, are you sure about this? You remember what it was like when the travelers had us and were draining us…"

"I'm sure Stefan." She interrupted before he could finish.

"Damon are you really going to let her do this?!" Jeremy was furious and for good reason. He didn't want his sister risking her life unnecessarily again.

"Jeremy, I am going to let her do this because it is her choice." Oh Jesus I sounded like Stefan. In the past I would never let her do this. Why was I letting her now? But I knew…I was trying to rectify the one single moment of my time with Elena that I still regret. When she urged me to let her take the elixir and I shoved my blood down her throat. I still shudder when I think about that action and how she could have turned and hated me forever. Thank god she didn't.

"I can't believe you Damon. If anything happens to her you will never be able to look at yourself again!" Jeremy stormed out making Elena cry. He was right though; if this went bad I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

"I'll go talk to him," Bonnie said with a smile. "Elena, I think you are being very brave to fight for our home and for the future you want. I support you, okay? I want you to know that."

Elena looked up at Bonnie and smiled. "Thank you Bonnie."

Before she left to find Jeremy she asked, "Genevieve is there anything else?"

"We will go the cemetery on the edge of town tonight. I will teach you the spell after you deal with…what you need to deal with." She pointed in the direction that Jeremy ran off to.

"Alright then it's a plan. See you all tonight." Bonnie said and left to find Jeremy.

"Gather anything you want to bring back home. You should all be sleeping in your own beds tonight. And I will be back in favor with my elders."

**The Cemetery**

**Elena POV**

We arrived at the cemetery around 9:00pm and found Genevieve there with Bonnie finishing up the last bits of preparation for their spell. My fear was mounting but I knew I wasn't alone. Both Damon and Jeremy were on either side of me and I could just feel the fear and trepidation just radiating off of them. Alaric and Stefan walked silently behind us. Damon grabbed my hand as we walked closer to Bonnie and Genevieve.

"Welcome, I think we are ready." Genevieve said as we approached them. "Stefan I need you to lay here." There were two areas on the ground cleared of leaves and surrounded by candles. Stefan laid down in the first one. "Elena, you need to lay here." She pointed to the other one. Before I took my place I turned to Damon and gave him a slow, tender kiss.

"See you soon." I told him.

"Yeah, see you soon." He whispered back with a glistening tear in his eye.

I took my place in the circle of candles next to Stefan. "You need to place your hands in the center between you." I put my right hand in the area between us and Stefan put his left. The whole time my eyes never left Damon's. He was looking at me with a sad, scared expression that made me want to change my mind about doing this. Genevieve approached us and slit Stefan's wrist first. The blood started flowing onto the ground between us. "Ready Elena?" She said before cutting me. "Yes I'm ready." I told her and she sliced open my wrist.

I winced in pain and Damon did as well, a sympathetic reaction to what I was feeling no doubt. I took my eyes off of him just for a second to see what was happening with the spell. The blood was flowing together but Bonnie and Genevieve didn't start yet.

"When the hell are you guys going to begin? Come on!" Jeremy asked anxiously.

"There isn't enough for the spell to be effective. We need to wait longer." Genevieve replied in a calm voice.

"Elena, are you okay? Stay with us as long as you can okay baby?" Damon spoke to me and I turned my head to look at him again. I was starting to feel light headed but I smiled at him.

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy." I knew my blood was getting dangerously low. My eyes started drifting as I was beginning to feel unconsciousness beckoning to me.

"Elena. Elena! Keep your eyes, open and stay focused on me, okay?" Damon was trying to talk me through this and keep me awake. It was helping but wasn't enough to keep me totally conscious. I heard voices in the darkness. Damon's angry voice was the loudest.

"God damn it you have enough! Start the spell! Come on!" His voice was so angry and worried. Once the spell started Alaric could come in and feed me his blood, but only when they had enough to begin.

"We are ready." Genevieve said and I heard Damon's exhale of relief. The chanting began and I felt a wrist near my mouth and a thick liquid slide down my throat. I felt peaceful and relaxed but couldn't bring myself to completely wake up yet. I could feel and hear everything around me but I just couldn't wake up. I felt arms around me pulling me up.

"Stop!" Genevieve yelled. "You can't move her until the spell is done." The gentle hands set me back down and I laid there in darkness as the chants of Bonnie and Genevieve surrounded me. When they finally stopped everything was still. "It is done." I heard Genevieve say. The gentle arms that lifted me before were around me again lifting me up.

"Elena. Elena!" I think it was Damon's voice in the distance. I wanted to come back to him, needed to come back to him. I pictured our life together again as if it was a movie running through my head. I felt wetness on my face and figured it must have started raining. It wasn't until I realized that it wasn't rain at all, it was tears.

Damon.

He would never be able to forgive himself if I didn't come back from this. I couldn't bear his pain, this imperfect yet perfect man that I loved so much needed me. My eyes finally started to flutter.

"Elena? Oh thank god Elena." He kissed my forehead and rocked me in his arms.

"Hey you." I said with a weak voice.

He smiled back looking down at me. "Hey you. You're okay. You're okay."

"I told you I would be."

"Hey!" Stefan was yelling at us from inside the old spell's border. "I think it worked! No more anti-magic spell."

I tried to stand up but still felt a little lightheaded. "Whoa, easy there baby." He supported me as I stood up and helped me as we walked over the old border.

"We can go home now." I said to him.

"Yes we can. Thanks to you, we can."

We all grabbed our things and headed back on the main road into Mystic Falls. The road Damon and I took to our deaths. The road that let me show him that I was all in to be with him for eternity, whether it was in life or in death. It looks like that blissful eternity is going to be in life.

**Stay tuned for one more chapter guys! It's going to be a bit of an epilogue that takes place a little ways into the future. I think it will be a beautiful way to end this story. **


	11. Epilogue

**I LOVE this ending so much, and I hope you guys do too!**

**Though Lover Be Lost**

**Epilogue**

**Salvatore Boarding House, 5 Years Later**

**Elena POV**

The sun was peaking through the shades of our bedroom, urging Damon and I to wake up and begin the day. Life had become so simple for us these last few years, and at first it really took some getting used to. No more danger and threats to our very lives, just pure unadulterated happiness.

"Hey honey, we should probably get up now." I spoke softly to Damon as I reached around his body to pull him close.

"Mmmm..." He grumbled back at me.

"It's a big day today. Everyone is coming over and I we have a ton of work to do."

Today is a very big and special day. It's our 4th Anniversary, and we are having a big party to celebrate. Our wedding was a beautiful event with Caroline's elaborate touch put on everything. I felt a little guilty that day because what nobody realized was, that before our big wedding that the entire town of Mystic Falls was invited to, Damon and I had secretly eloped for our own private ceremony. My thoughts flashed back to that moment like they always did…

_I was walking through the woods in my simple white dress. I knew Damon was waiting for me in the clearing ahead and I couldn't get to him fast enough. I wish I still had my vampire speed. I saw him standing there in his perfectly fitted suit…it looked exactly like the one he wore when we first danced together at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. He looked so beautiful; the sun was shining into his bright blue eyes making them even more electric than they already were. He had a smile from ear to ear as I finally reached him and he took my hands in his. Jeremy had agreed to marry us and Bonnie was our witness. They both promised to keep our secret. As Damon and I gazed into each other's eyes my brother spoke._

"_Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today for the union of Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert. The love you two share has been one of the greatest things I have witnessed in my brief eighteen years and it is an honor to be here today to join you two in marriage. I love both of you and the family that we have created in the wake of so much tragedy."_

_I was having a hard time keeping it together when I heard Jeremy's beautiful words. Bonnie was already a mess and I just tried to stay focused on Damon, the one person who could always keep me together._

"_Before you say your vows I wanted to say a few words about each of you. I will start with Damon. We have always had an…interesting relationship. Even though you killed me once and I always thought you acted like a complete dick there was always something about you that I could see hidden deep inside. The part of you that my sister brought out. When I could see the real Damon Salvatore emerging from my sister's love I started to care more and more for that person. More than that, I looked up to that person and was proud to call you a friend and now…brother. Damon thank you for loving and protecting my sister through everything, and also for protecting me."_

_Damon, with the hard, cocky exterior and the mushy center had tears running down his cheeks and I couldn't help but smile. My brother's words were heartfelt and true and they had affected Damon in a way that I haven't seen before. I knew this was another turning point in their relationship. They were brother's now and all the negative aspects of the past were truly put behind them._

"_Elena. My beautiful, caring, and compassionate sister. We have been through so much over the past couple years and there were so many times that I thought we would never come out on the other side. Your love is the reason we did. Your love for me, for your friends, and for the man next to you right now is the reason we are all standing here together now. You never gave up trying to get us back when we were lost and everyone is forever in your debt for that. It is my honor to join you now with your soul mate, twin flame, and love of your life."_

_I know that traditionally the bride wouldn't do this but I had to give Jeremy a giant hug. We embraced and I thanked him for his beautiful words that made this day even more perfect than it already was._

"_It's now time for you to exchange your rings and vows. Damon, you are first."_

_Damon looked me in eyes and before he spoke just stared at me for a few moments smiling. "I had to just look at you and process what is actually happening right now because I still can't believe it. Elena today is the day that I get to make my everlasting vow to you and make you my wife. When I first met you on that road and then later at the house I was beyond lost. You helped me find myself little by little and even when I reclaimed that part of my soul that had been destroyed so many years ago I still thought that you could never be mine. I had never been the chosen one…whether it was for my father's or anyone else's love, until you." He paused for a moment to compose himself. He took a breath and continued his heartfelt words to me._

"_You brought the light into my life and chased away the darkness and you chose me. You found a way to look past the awful and fight for the good and there is no way that I can ever repay you for that. The only thing I can do is swear to you from this day forward that I will show you everyday how much I love and cherish you for what you have done for me. You brought me back to life…literally and figuratively, and I will love you for eternity Elena Gilbert. Please take this ring as I sign of my everlasting love and devotion." With that he slid the wedding band onto my finger and gazed into my eyes. I mouthed 'I love you' back to him and smiled. I don't know what else I was expecting from Damon with his vows but his words blew me away. How was I ever going to top that?_

"_Elena, it's your turn." Jeremy said breaking me out of my thoughts. I took a deep breath and just spoke from my heart._

"_Damon Salvatore. I have never told you this before but, the night when we first met on that road you awoke something in me that had never been awakened before. You lit the fire inside of my soul. It took me far too long to realize that the person who was driving me and keeping that fire going all along was you. It is my biggest regret that I couldn't admit it sooner and the pain that I caused you because of that denial…will always haunt me. You were not the only one that was lost Damon, I was lost too and you helped me find myself. That is the beauty of us, we helped each other find the missing pieces of ourselves and that is a rare and extraordinary thing." I reached up and brushed his cheek with my hand. I just had to have physical contact with him, the urge was too strong to resist._

"_When you died I thought that I had lost the person that I was singularly going to spend eternity with. The despair that I felt that night has turned into hope because here you are in front of me about to become my husband. That eternity is going to happen against all odds because that is how strong we are. Our love is more than chemical, it feels like nothing else on this earth or any other dimension, and we are unbreakable. We'll be forevermore. Please take this ring as a sign of my everlasting love and devotion." I slid the ring onto his finger and I realized he was shaking from my words to him. I looked up and he was crying as hard as I was. _

"_Now by the power invested in my by the state of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."_

_Damon took me in his arms and gave me the most intense, passionate kiss I have ever felt from him. The power of our words to each other and the vows we just made radiated through our lips and the electricity was mind-blowing. We couldn't stop until I heard Bonnie give us a little "Ahem!" to bring us back to reality._

"_Congratulations guys! That was so beautiful!" She said and hugged us both. The four of us walked hand in hand back through the woods to the boarding house. It was the first day of the rest of our lives, and boy was it a gorgeous one._

"Elena. Elena? Are you okay?" Damon was nudging me out of my yearly wedding flashback.

"Huh? What? Oh yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking back to our wedding. Our real wedding." I said with a smile.

We kissed and lay next to each other, taking in the moment and the memories. That is until we heard the pitter-patter of little feet.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Our two little 4-year-old angels were running through the bedroom door and bouncing towards our bed. Right after our big wedding I found out that I was pregnant with twins. Damon and I were ecstatic and of course also completely freaked out.

"_Two of them?!" _I remember Damon saying when we were at our first Doctor's appointment together. His eyes were as big as saucers but he soon turned to me and just said, "_That's great!"_

He was an even better father than I could have ever imagined. "Well good morning guys! How did you sleep?" He asked them while enveloping them up in a giant hug.

Rose answered first, "I slept great!" She was our sweet little ball of energy. We named her after Rose in the hopes that she would be as brave, kind and compassionate as the woman who helped save my life once. She was well on her way, and was an amazing little girl.

"I had a bad dream," Grayson said with a sad look on his face. Obviously we named him after my father. Even though my father did some work with the Augustine's, Damon knew what a kind and compassionate person he was and said he was honored to name his son after him.

"It was just a dream sweetie, see? We are all here together and is there anything bad or scary anywhere?" I asked him and kissed him on the cheek.

"No Mommy, everything looks happy."

"Yes it is. And are you both excited to see everybody today?"

"Will Auntie Caroline and Uncle Klaus come with Hope?" Rose asked eagerly.

"Yes they are! And Uncle Jeremy, Aunt Bonnie, and even Uncle Stefan, Aunt Rebekah, and Alaric too!" Damon told them and they responded with a resounding 'YAY!'

Rose and Grayson looked exactly how I pictured they would. They had beautiful wavy dark hair and Damon's gorgeous blue eyes. Their smiles were as wide as their faces just like mine. And they had two loving parents that worshiped them. Life was good, and my only hope was that it would stay this way as long as possible. Damon and I had decided that we were going to turn back into vampires tonight. We know it seemed selfish to drag two innocent children into that dark world. But the truth was, they already were in that world. Half of their family were already vampires and that was something that we couldn't change. We needed to be able to protect them in case some other threat ever decided to rear it's ugly head.

"Alright it's time to get ready for the party! Everyone will be here soon!"

We all scurried out of the bed and got ready for the big Anniversary-Vampire Turning party.

**Later that night**

**Damon POV**

Our party was in full swing, and the kids were put down to bed. Grayson, Rose, and Hope were excited to have their little sleepover tonight and us adults were all just happy to be all together again. Klaus had his arm around Caroline and they were sitting on the couch.

"So how's it going in New Orleans?" Elena asked Klaus and Caroline.

"I never realized what an amazing and vibrant city it was until Klaus showed me everything it has to offer." Caroline said. "Hayley and Elijah and doing really well too."

"They are pretty good roommates, wouldn't you say, love?" Klaus asked with a smile.

"Surprisingly yes, it's been great to feel like part of a family even though it's hard being away from all of you." Caroline said sadly.

"Oh come on, admit it," Rebekah said with her trademark snark. "The Original family is far more interesting that the Salvatores." She nudged Stefan in the ribs and he gave her a peck on the lips.

I was so relieved when Stefan found happiness with Rebekah. There was always chemistry and an understanding between them and in the end, they fell in love and were able to make a great life together. Seeing my brother happy was the final piece of the happiness puzzle for me.

"So when are we going to address the big ugly elephant in the room?" Alaric asked. I wasn't sure if he was angry or trying to make a joke.

"What do you mean by that buddy?" I asked him, curious about his attitude.

"What I mean is, you and your wife have decided to get dragged back down into the dark abyss that is vampirism. Shouldn't we get on with it then?"

I didn't blame him for his aversion to the idea, but I had to try and make him understand. I wanted to make sure that everyone understood. I walked over to Elena and put my arm around her for support. "Listen everyone. You need to know that this has been a near impossible decision for Elena and me. To introduce our children into this world is a risk, we know that. But the fact of the matter is that they are already a part of the supernatural world. Elena and I are not their only family, you are all a part of it and most of you are vampires. We are deciding to embrace it and have our eternity together. If Rose, Grayson, or even Hope decide they want to live this life later on it will be their choice. But this is ours and we feel it is the best way to protect our family and let you all remain a part of ours."

Everyone was silent and digesting my words. Elena grabbed my hand and squeezed it in support of my words.

"We support your decision guys. We think it's a good idea." Jeremy said with a smile.

"That's all I needed to hear." Alaric said in agreement. "I don't disagree Damon, I just wanted to hear your reasons from you, that's all. We will all be ecstatic to have the eternal stud back." He clapped me on the back. "So, which one of you are first?"

This was it, the moment I had been dreading all night. I sure wasn't looking forward to dying…again, but it needed to be done.

"I'll go first." Elena stepped forward.

"Are you sure baby?" I asked her.

"I'm sure. It's my turn to be the older vampire." She smiled and approached Alaric. We decided to use his blood to turn us, and a stranger's from a blood bag to complete the transition. "I wonder if becoming a vampire again will be just like riding a bike."

"You'll get the hang of it again real fast." I tried to tell her reassuringly.

"Alright here you go Elena." Alaric ripped open his wrist and Elena drank up. I waited in uneasy anticipation for what had to come next. Seeing my best friend snap my wife's neck was not something I was looking forward to. "Ready?"

Elena turned to me before answering. "Ready. I love you." She kissed me and I stood in front of her ready to catch her falling body as Alaric snapped her neck. She fell like a rag doll into my arms.

"Well this sucks." I said holding my "dead" wife in my arms. "How long until she comes to?" I asked. It's been awhile since I have witnessed this process.

"I don't know. Do you want to wait until she wakes up and transitions or do you want to just get it over with?" Alaric asked me. I thought about it and decided waiting for her to wake up would be agonizing and I just wanted to wake up with her and complete the transition together.

"Just do it." I told him and drank his blood before everything went black.

I came to on the couch in our living room with everyone staring at me. I shot up like an arrow and of course said out loud the first thing that came to my mind. "ELENA?!"

"Right here honey." She was kneeling next to the couch smiling at me. A wave of relief came over me. She woke up too and we were ready to take this final step together. She handed me a blood bag. "Cheers Mr. Salvatore."

"Cheers Mrs. Salvatore." We both drank up and made the final change. We were both restored to our old vampire selves.

"Dang that feels good." I said feeling the effects of my enhanced hearing and vision. "How do you feel?" I asked Elena.

"I feel amazing." She smiled. "Thank you Alaric. And thank you everyone for understanding and being here with us for this."

"That's what family is for." Klaus said and kissed the top of Caroline's head.

"Welcome back brother." Stefan said and hugged me close.

"Thanks brother."

The rest of the night we enjoyed a few more drinks and each other's company. Klaus and Caroline were staying in one of the guest rooms before making the trip back to New Orleans tomorrow. Stefan and Rebekah lived a few miles up the road near Bonnie and Jeremy so they all left together. Elena and I walked up to the room where the three children were sleeping to check in on them.

They looked so peaceful. One might think seeing them like that would immediately make me regret our decision but in reality it was just the opposite. I knew now that Elena and I could protect them better than we ever could as humans.

"They are beautiful aren't they?" Elena said as she ran her hand up and down my back.

"The most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Well, the second most beautiful think I have ever seen." I said and kissed her.

"How did we get here Damon? How did we get it all? We have each other and our beautiful children and now, we will have eternity. I still can't believe it."

"Believe it baby. It's all real." I hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. "You ready for bed?"

"Yeah lets go."

We kissed our children and headed to our room hand in hand. Two vampires, with two beautiful children, looking forward to our eternity.

The End!

**I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. After some great suggestions from readers I am thinking of doing some one-shots within this story "universe" until the S6 premiere. So stay tuned and enjoy the rest of you summer! Thanks again!**

**~Kat**


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